Manure fertilizer increases antibiotic resistance

[HuckleB]

http://www.nature.com/news/manure-fertilizer-increases-antibiotic-resistance-1.16081

"Treating dairy cows and other farm animals with antibiotics and then laying their manure in soil can cause the bacteria in the dirt to grow resistant to the drugs. But a study now suggests that the manure itself could be contributing to resistance, even when it comes from cows that are free of antibiotics.

The mechanism at work is not yet clear, but the finding — published on 6 October in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences1 — suggests a complex link between antibiotic use in agriculture and resistance in human pathogens.

Many bacteria in the environment naturally carry antibiotic-resistance genes, probably as defence against the antibiotics produced by some soil fungi and bacteria. Laboratory-made versions of these antibiotics are used to treat infection in humans and animals, and to promote growth in livestock.

Because manure itself is known to change the composition of bacterial communities in soil, a team led by microbiologist Jo Handelsman, then at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, decided to examine whether it also affects drug resistance. The team treated soil samples with either a nitrogen-based fertilizer or with manure from cows that had never been fed antibiotics.

..."

This is why we can't buy into so much bad fear mongering regarding food. No one is saying that we should run from manure here, but it's something to follow. The same goes for other issues in agriculture and food.

Science matters, especially to true progressives.

Don't let propaganda stop good science.

[mindwalker_i]

1. Aw Shit!

[HuckleB]

2. Yup.

[pnwmom]

3. The solution is to stop feeding antibiotics to cows and chickens in order to fatten them up.

Humans aren't given daily doses of antibiotics for growth purposes and animals shouldn't be either.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotic_use_in_livestock

Antibiotic use in livestock is the use of antibiotics for any purpose in the husbandry of livestock, which includes not only the treatment or prophylaxis of infection but also the use of subtherapeutic doses in animal feed to promote growth and improve feed efficiency in contemporary intensive animal farming. Antimicrobials (including antibiotics and antifungals) and other drugs are used by veterinarians and livestock owners to increase the size of livestock, poultry, and other farmed animals. The use of some drugs is banned in some countries due to food contamination or concern about increasing antibiotic resistance and what some consider antibiotic misuse. Other drugs may be used only under strict limits, and some organizations and authorities seek to further restrict the use of some or all drugs in animals.

[HuckleB]

4. And one of the four on ignore post. I can only imagine the lack of context.

[SidDithers]

5. DU rec...nt

Sid

[Warpy]

6. Interesting.

I wonder if they used composted manure or fresh manure on the fields, it would make a huge difference. Composting completely changes the flora present.

They can't simply stop treating dairy cows, especially, since mastitis is a big problem with them and not treating them is unconscionable.

[Fumesucker]

7. Manure fertilizer from antibiotic treated cattle increases antibiotic resistance

A more accurate headline for the piece in your OP, there is nothing special about manure fertilizer in general that increases antibiotic resistance.

[HuckleB]

8. So you didn't read the article. Got it.

[Fumesucker]

9. I read this...

But a study now suggests that the manure itself could be contributing to resistance, even when it comes from cows that are free of antibiotics.

"Suggests" and "could be" by no means are the same thing as "does".

[HuckleB]

10. That's what studies do. They don't make anti-science proclamations.

Since science isn't your thing, why bother responding.

Thanks for showing why it's so difficult to discuss matters of science at DU.

[Fumesucker]

11. Never did read that Dale Cargnegie, eh?

[HuckleB]

12. Neither did you.

Nor did you read any further into this study.

[Fumesucker]

13. You provided enough info in your OP to conclude the title was misleading

[HuckleB]

14. That's simply a misreading of the article. And you know that.

I have no idea why you are pretending otherwise.

Interestingly, I don't see you correcting any of the blatant anti-science claims made at DU.

Why is that?

[pnwmom]

16. It MUST be hard to push corporate-funded science propaganda here.

Yeah, I know. There's never been a GMO product in the history of the world that's ever caused a problem.

Except -- wait -- ever hear of Tryptophan?



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tryptophan

Eosinophilia–myalgia syndrome[edit]
Main article: Eosinophilia–myalgia_syndrome
There was a large outbreak of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) in the U.S. in 1989, with more than 1,500 cases reported to the CDC and at least 37 deaths. After preliminary investigation revealed that the outbreak was linked to intake of tryptophan, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned most tryptophan from sale in the US in 1991, and other countries followed suit.[41]

Subsequent epidemiological studies suggested that EMS was linked to specific batches of L-tryptophan supplied by a single large Japanese manufacturer, Showa Denko.[41][42][43][44] It eventually became clear that recent batches of Showa Denko's L-tryptophan were contaminated by trace impurities, which were subsequently thought to be responsible for the 1989 EMS outbreak.[41][45][46] However, other evidence suggests that tryptophan itself may be a potentially major contributory factor in EMS.[47]

The FDA loosened its restrictions on sales and marketing of tryptophan in February 2001, but continued to limit the importation of tryptophan not intended for an exempted use until 2005.[41]

The fact that the Showa Denko facility used genetically engineered bacteria to produce the contaminated batches of L-tryptophan later found to have caused the outbreak of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome has been cited as evidence of a need for "close monitoring of the chemical purity of biotechnology-derived products."[48] Those calling for purity monitoring have, in turn, been criticized as anti-GMO activists who overlook possible non-GMO causes of contamination and threaten the development of biotech.[49]

[pnwmom]

15. Hah! n/t

[bemildred]

17. Well penicillin is a mold-sourced antibiotic, originally found on the mold penicillum

or something like that, and mold grows well on cowshit I would think, and mushrooms too, so I would think that might explain the resistant bacteria having an advantage in that moldy environment, which it would be after a couple weeks.

A tissue of supposition of course, but it's not hard to see how there could be a link independent of whether the cows were fed antibiotics.