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Friday 1 May 2015

USA and Britain - Pigs, Pork & Diabetes



This is a massively important report from the ever reliable Tara Smith and associates.

It illustrates yet again the dangers from livestock related superbugs and how fast the USA is now drawing ahead of Defra dominated Britain with its constant denials and cover-ups of veterinary incompetence and bullying.

The shocking part for Britain is that there no surprises here for some of us.

Defra and its veterinarians have known about the dangers for years, and done nothing to help protect the farmers, public health and the hospitals.

You can be sure that the various diabetes' charities and organisations will be hot on devious Defra's tail. Many diabetic Britons will have a personal interest in getting this aired and those responsible for the problem investigated and removed from positions of authority.

On a personal note - The writer was campaigning on this long before becoming a type one diabetic. His diabetes was the consequence of an infection following pancreatic cancer and intensive care, so keeping diabetics clear of infections is well understood.

You should read the report in full here:


Study finds swine farming is a risk factor for drug-resistant staph infections

by Debra Venzke

A new Univ. of Iowa study reports swine farmers are six times more likely to have staph bacteria than others. Credit: Lynn Betts, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Swine farmers are more likely to carry multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus or "staph") than people without current swine exposure, according to a study conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Iowa, Kent State University, and the National Cancer Institute.

The study, published online in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, is the largest prospective examination of S. aureus infection in a group of livestock workers worldwide, and the first such study in the United States...

...The study authors note the research helps keep farmers safe by raising awareness about a potential health issue in swine operations. S. aureus does not present an economic concern for swine farmers since pigs generally are unaffected by staph infections.

"S. aureus does not typically make pigs sick, but they can act as carriers and transmit the bacterium to farmers," says Tara Smith, corresponding author on the study. "While carriage of S. aureus isn't itself harmful, individuals who harbor the bacterium in their nose, throat, or on their skin are at risk of developing an active staph infection, and they can also pass the bacterium to other family or community members. Individuals who may be immunocompromised, or have existing conditions such as diabetes, are especially at risk from staph infections."...

..."Current swine workers were six times more likely to carry multidrug-resistant S. aureus than those study participants without current swine exposure," says Smith. The study is based on research that Smith, currently an associate professor at Kent State University, conducted while she was a faculty member at the UI College of Public Health.

"Swine workers are also at risk of becoming infected with these organisms," Smith adds. "One hundred and three potential S. aureus infections were reported, and included infections with livestock-associated strains of this bacterium."

There currently is no method to prevent or eliminate carriage of S. aureus in animals or their human caretakers, meaning constant re-exposure and possibly transmission can occur between livestock and farm workers. Those workers can then pass staph to their family or community members.

"Iowa ranks third nationally in overall livestock production and first in swine production," notes Smith. "Transmission of staph between pigs and farmers and into the broader community could complicate efforts to control S. aureus transmission statewide, and have effects nationally due to the travel of pigs and people carrying these bacteria."

Journal reference: Clinical Infectious Diseases
Provided by University of Iowa