The news of MRSA in pigs in England has reached the important Soil Association and they are reacting strongly.
I'm not a member, a fan or endorse all of their facts, but welcome their outspoken comments and the drive towards finding solutions.
Just a quote of some of the detail I support. You can find the full article here.
MRSA found in pigs in England as European research shows threat of pandemic spread in humans is increasing
06 February 2015
Government scientists have reported the first-ever cases of livestock-associated MRSA in pigs in England [1].
The finding comes just weeks after scientists in Europe, where MRSA has been present in pigs for a decade, reported that the same strain of livestock-associated MRSA is evolving to become a serious hazard for humans [2]...
...Cóilín Nunan, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, said: "In 2007...
... we called for all imported pigs from MRSA-positive countries to be tested and for the use of the antibiotics most likely to select for the bacteria to be restricted. But Defra refused to take action and now that MRSA-free status has been lost. It's scandalous that Defra still isn't doing any proper MRSA surveillance of British pigs.
Defra's inactivity on this issue for years has allowed this situation to develop. These cases are likely to only be the tip of the iceberg. MRSA may already be much more widespread in British pigs since most pigs with the bacteria show no visible infection."...
