I
Ian Cloke
Guest
Report calls fish 'grave danger' to public health
Written By: John M Mulcahy
On Date: 6/9/2006
Far from being brain food, fish is becoming a grave danger to public health, says a report from New York Medical College published in this month's issue of Environmental Microbiology.
It is common practice in the fish-farming industry to use large amounts of antibiotics to prevent infection, the journal writes. Those antibiotics are often nonbiodegradable and remain in the water for long periods of time. This encourages the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Eventually, this process could lead to increased antibiotic resistance in the "disease-causing" bacteria of fish. The properties that make bacteria resistant can then be transferred to human and animal pathogens, leading to increased infectious disease in fish, animals and humans alike.
When antibiotics are mixed with fish food, residual antibiotics may be found in fish products and fish flesh. People who eat these products will be inadvertently consuming antibiotics, leading to changes in their normal microbial environment, or "microflora," and making them more susceptible to bacterial infection.
"If we don't curb the heavy use of antibiotics in aquaculture, we will ultimately see more and more antibiotic resistant pathogens emerging, causing increased disease to fish, animals and humans alike," the report said.
A global effort to curb the overuse of antibiotics is essential in preventing these detrimental effects on fish, animal and human health.
Written By: John M Mulcahy
On Date: 6/9/2006
Far from being brain food, fish is becoming a grave danger to public health, says a report from New York Medical College published in this month's issue of Environmental Microbiology.
It is common practice in the fish-farming industry to use large amounts of antibiotics to prevent infection, the journal writes. Those antibiotics are often nonbiodegradable and remain in the water for long periods of time. This encourages the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Eventually, this process could lead to increased antibiotic resistance in the "disease-causing" bacteria of fish. The properties that make bacteria resistant can then be transferred to human and animal pathogens, leading to increased infectious disease in fish, animals and humans alike.
When antibiotics are mixed with fish food, residual antibiotics may be found in fish products and fish flesh. People who eat these products will be inadvertently consuming antibiotics, leading to changes in their normal microbial environment, or "microflora," and making them more susceptible to bacterial infection.
"If we don't curb the heavy use of antibiotics in aquaculture, we will ultimately see more and more antibiotic resistant pathogens emerging, causing increased disease to fish, animals and humans alike," the report said.
A global effort to curb the overuse of antibiotics is essential in preventing these detrimental effects on fish, animal and human health.