Researchers in China found a gene that makes bacteria highly resistant to a class of ‘last-resort’ antibiotics. The finding has caused decision makers in Europe to reconsider some antibiotics used in livestock feed. There is no word on what the FDA will do.
The medical world right now is concerned about an antibiotic resistant gene originally found in pork and chicken from four provinces in China. This new gene makes bacteria “highly resistant” to a last-resort class of antibiotics known as polymyxins. In other words, patients who do not respond to the most commonly used antibiotics, this discovery shows that the last ditch antibiotic used – polymyxins – is now being rendered ineffective by this gene.
Antibiotics are commonly fed to livestock animals in feed. This practice is accepted worldwide. Animals that are ‘factory farmed’ – raised in tight quarters, fed waste material feed (example: instead of cattle grazing on grass they are provided with commercial feed that includes chicken litter and/or expired grocery foods often including plastic packaging) can be prone to disease. To battle and prevent disease in livestock, it has become standard practice to medicate the feed on a consistent basis. Some statistics report that as much as 80% of the antibiotics sold in the U.S. are meant for animal/livestock consumption.
The practice of consistent use of antibiotics in livestock feed has raised concerns of bacteria becoming antibiotic resistant. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) warns: “Antibiotics must be used judiciously in humans and animals because both uses contribute to the emergence, persistence, and spread of resistant bacteria. Resistant bacteria in food-producing animals are of particular concern. Food animals serve as a reservoir of resistant pathogens and resistance mechanisms that can directly or indirectly result in antibiotic resistant infections in humans. For example, resistant bacteria may be transmitted to humans through the foods we eat.”
And just as CDC warns, resistant bacteria has emerged. In November 2015, researchers in China published a report on the discovery of a gene – called mcr-1 – that makes bacteria resistant to a last-resort class of antibiotics (polymyxins – a class of antibiotics that includes the drug Colistin). More concerning, the researchers found the gene on ‘mobile DNA’ that can be easily copied and transferred between different bacteria. This means that the gene can render many types of bacteria (E.coli such as in food poisoning to bacteria of pneumonia) resistant to antibiotics. In November 2015 Reuters reported this gene was only found in China. But two months later “researchers in at least 10 countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe announced they had found the gene within their borders.”
It is unknown if this gene has been found in North America.
Added after original post published: Thanks to one of you wonderful readers, the gene has been found in Canada. Click Here for that information.
The European Union is already taking action. Earlier this week (January 11, 2016) another report from Reuters states: “European drug regulators launched a review of the use in farming of a key last-line antibiotic called colistin after international research found alarming evidence of a gene that makes bacteria resistant to the drug. The London-based European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it was responding to a European Commission request to update its advice on the use in animals of colistin, which is one of the last-resort antibiotics capable of treating humans with certain bacterial infections.” The EU drug regulators are reconsidering their previous stance of allowing “responsible use of colistin in animals”.
It is unknown if the FDA will be taking similar action as the EU with regards to the livestock feed use of Colistin.
The FDA over the past several years has initiated various programs to “help ensure judicious use of antibiotics in food-producing animals”. One is a Veterinary Feed Directive that requires certain antibiotics to only be used under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. This is a good step forward however, it does not appear that Colistin or similar line of antibiotics (the last-resort antibiotics) are included under FDA’s new supervision program.
Pet owners can safely assume that this gene linked to antibiotic resistance can move to animals/our pets as well. The gene was found in pigs and poultry as well has human patients in China.
As if this isn’t enough for consumers to be concerned with, the last-line antibiotic in question – Colistin – brings up another concern – jerky treats imported from China. The drug Colistin is linked to kidney disease.
Concern #1 – Reuters states: “China is one of the world’s largest user of colistin for agriculture and veterinary use.”
Concern #2 – From ‘Renal and neurological side effects of colistin in critically ill patients’: “Renal toxicity is the most common adverse effect of colistin treatment because the drug is excreted primarily by the kidneys and elevated blood levels may further impair renal function.”
Put Concern #1 and #2 together – and it leads one to wonder about Chinese jerky treats. China is the world’s largest user of Colistin in animal feed, and this drug is linked to kidney disease – was this drug used in poultry feed in China and is it the drug responsible for the thousands of pet illnesses and deaths linked to Chinese jerky treats? Has the FDA – in their 8+ year investigation of jerky treats from China – ever tested the treats for Colistin?
I don’t know. But I have sent questions to FDA asking if they have tested the chicken jerky treats for this antibiotic that is linked to kidney disease. I also provided the agency with the Reuters news release on the aggressive action the EU is taking on the livestock use of this antibiotic (hoping FDA will be just as aggressive). Should the FDA respond, it will be shared.
And, with a list of other issues, if opportunity arises I will be asking FDA about this drug in jerky treats and about the use of this drug in U.S. livestock feed at the AAFCO meeting next week.
What livestock animals eat is hugely important. What livestock animals eat effects all of us and all of our pets. Sadly, there is not one consumer advocacy group that attends AAFCO meetings on behalf of safe livestock feed. We need them there. We need representatives of Food and Water Watch, Center for Science in the Public Interest, and others to attend AAFCO meetings on behalf of livestock feed. Our small team of pet food consumer advocates cannot cover all feed – we need representatives from the big consumer associations to help us in this battle. If anyone out there is connected to these agencies or knows someone who is – please ask them to be the voice for safe livestock feed at AAFCO.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
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Nina Wolf
January 15, 2016 at 10:48 am
Well, antibiotics were fun while they lasted, eh? But we’ve been phenomenally bed stewards of these tools. We forget how serious illnesses were prior to antibiotics. We forget people often died of things we think nothing of at this point.
Like climate change, or any number of other big issues, we must stop being reactive, and start being proactive. We must think ahead.
There is a line of cleaning products called Seventh Generation. I’m not sure many people realise where the name comes from, but is worth considering the source. Native American’s talk of making decision based on what the ramifications will be not only for us now, but for our children, our grandchildren, and for seven generations to come. It would do us well to adopt this perspective.
Jane Eagle
January 15, 2016 at 11:26 am
“But the nightmare scenario is that MCR-1 will spread to more virulent bacterial strains that also carry other resistance genes — thus creating a “pan-resistant” superbug capable of defeating every antibiotic in the medicine cabinet.” –
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/01/05/disturbing-drug-resistant-superbug-gene-has-been-detected-in-canada.html
Some strains of the bacteria have the potential to cause epidemics, the researchers said.
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_155781.html
The team warns that because this gene can travel between bacteria, it’s inevitable that bacteria will develop “pan-drug resistance”, becoming unbeatable by any known form of antibiotic. Ominously, the gene seems to move easily between the strains of the common human pathogen Escherichia coli, as well as other common bacteria such as Klebsiella and Pseudomonas, which cause a large proportion of blood, urinary and gut infections.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn28513-bacteria-now-resistant-even-to-last-resort-antibiotics/
Pet food aside, let’s just keep eating meat. Apparently. torturing and killing animals and then eating their corpses may be the solution we need to human overpopulation (and poetic justice)
T Allen
January 15, 2016 at 2:21 pm
Great work Susan! “Put Concern #1 and #2 together – and it leads one to wonder about Chinese jerky treats.” Seems totally reasonable and highly probable. How much would it cost to test samples ourselves? I know we could raise the money without being specific as to which antibiotics were being tested for.
barbara m
January 16, 2017 at 1:02 pm
Correction: Great work Mollie.!
Cheryl Mallon-Bond
January 15, 2016 at 8:39 pm
This is truly a scary realty! It should also be noted that I had seen a program (I think it was The Dr. Oz Show) that uncovered that the U.S. had signed an agreement w/ China to process chicken for us. What that “processing” really means, I don’t know, the program didn’t state those specific’s.
So, why would we need to take chicken that was raised here in the USA, & then ship it over to China to be “processed”, and then aren’t back to us?! This is extremely disconcerting to say the least!!!!
Does anyone know the specifics of what this deal between the USA & China contracting China to “process” chicken actually entail? Based on what has been coming out of China, & their even more lax laws & regulations than the USA, it’s a nightmare in the making as far as I am concerned
I bet that Susan is right on the $ with this issue of the jerky treats & it being contaminated by the Colistin. I am sure the USDA damn well has had an idea of what has been the c cause of these illnesses & deaths from these jerky treats, but they cover it up because of whatever their trade agreements are with China! Until someone blows the lid off this whole thing by testing the products for the Colistin.
Batzion
January 15, 2016 at 10:59 pm
Search Agenda 21, the 2030 Agenda, the TPP and the TTIP. Whenever you see the word “sustainable,” know that people, animals and crops are going to die by design. Our food, water, soil and air are contaminated, and that’s not by accident. The goal of the elites is to reduce the world population to 500 million which is why the Club of Rome came up with the idea of the “global warming” and “climate change” crises in order to convince people to march with the global agenda in lock step..
To the elites, we are a liability, and the sooner we’re gone, the better. And the thing about these people, Bill Gates, and his contaminated vaccinations as an example, is that they pontificate about what great humanitarians they are. They are not.
Research anything I’ve written here. You might have to dig for info because much of it has been scrubbed from the internet. Try using a browser like Goodgopher or Duckduckgo.
I know this sounds like tin-foil hat stuff, but it’s not. It’s real, and people need to come out of the collective trance and wake up.
Anonymous
January 19, 2016 at 3:41 pm
I recently heard about a five million dollar lawsuit against Merrick dog food for containing ingredients from China. Do you have any info on this?
I love my dog
January 20, 2016 at 9:22 pm
I am personally irritated by any internet article that does NOT post any references to “date.” Because as the information ages, there is no idea how relevant it is, or continues to be. I am equally irritated by websites posting “high interest” articles (not properly annotated) which promotes their own traffic to increase (both advertising and service based) revenue. Dogsnaturallymagazine.com is selling a subscription service. Curiously they are also quoting “The Truth About Pet Food” (a non-revenue based service) which has done the research on premixes and foreign (especially) Chinese sourcing.
Nevertheless, in looking for more information about this lawsuit on Google the following and properly annotated link surfaced Legalnewsline.com.
The TAPF provides a “Pledge to Quality and Origin” list of PFs to help Consumers know which manufacturers are willing to declare their sourcing. The TAPF is completely consumer supported through “donations” and accepts NO advertising whatsoever. (Disclaimer: I do not represent TAPF.)
I love my dog
January 20, 2016 at 9:33 pm
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/class-action-lawsuit-filed-against-merrick-purina/
http://legalnewsline.com/stories/510658198-pet-food-makers-sued-over-allegedly-mislabeling-products
https://truthaboutpetfood.com/new-pledges/