People worry, and I am no exception. I spend more time than I would like to admit on social media, and I have seen some things, disturbing things, things that cannot be unseen. Turns out there is a lot out there to be worried about; so how do I know I am worried the right amount and not too much? For example, I know that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious and growing health problem, but what does that mean for me? I want to know which aspects of the AMR crisis are going to impact me, which I do not have to worry about, and what I or others can do about it. The first thing I want to know more about is meat safety. I have seen the labels about “antibiotic-free meat”, and I want to know – how safe is my burger? So, I got in contact with some folks who really know meat to find out. Continue reading “How do you like your steak?”
Antimicrobial Resistance Resource Library
Antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections are a serious threat to global public health. Each year AMR accounts for roughly 700,000 deaths worldwide. While AMR-related research is ongoing, conveying research-based knowledge about AMR mechanisms, risks, and opportunities to improve outcomes to the general public, agricultural producers, food safety experts, educators, and consumers is imperative.
The iAMResponsible Project team, a nationwide extension effort for addressing AMR, has developed a shared resource library to curate and translate the latest news and research findings on AMR for a non-technical audience. This library is designed to provide educators and advisors with access to resources that will assist you in your discussion of antimicrobial resistance. Please feel free to share and re-purpose educational products in this library with local audiences. Continue reading “Antimicrobial Resistance Resource Library”
Are there alternatives to antibiotics?
A brief summary of the manuscript, Alternatives to Antibiotics: Why and How (Allen, 2017), a review of current and potential alternatives to antibiotics for use in human or veterinary medicine.
Key Takeaways:
- Every time antibiotics are used, impacted bacteria adapt to survive. Bacteria that are not killed by the antibiotic pass on their new survival traits to later generations of bacteria, which limit the effect of the antibiotic the next time it is used.
- Antibiotics are not the only way to treat bacterial diseases. Alternative treatment methods to consider include vaccines, immunotherapeutics, bacteriophage therapy, and probiotics.
Antimicrobial Resistance in Developing Countries: Current State and Controlling Strategies
In most developing countries, access to antimicrobial drugs is as easy as a run to the grocery store or nearby pharmacy – with or without a prescription from a medical professional. Even with a prescription, patients may not complete their doses, or they may not fully recover from an infection that then continues after the duration of the medicine. How does this unregulated use of antibiotics and related medications relate to the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance in developing countries and what strategies may help mitigate this increasing health crisis? Continue reading “Antimicrobial Resistance in Developing Countries: Current State and Controlling Strategies”
Antimicrobial Resistance is Native to the Environment
Germs are everywhere, some resistant to medical treatment
When I was a kid, I remember being called inside for lunch on a summer day and hearing, “Wash your hands! You’ve been playing in the dirt!” Of course, we all grew up knowing that dirty hands can spread germs. But, I didn’t know until I was much older that the same soil that made my hands dirty was also the source of some pretty amazing medicines. Continue reading “Antimicrobial Resistance is Native to the Environment”
Managing Manure to Mitigate Antibiotic Resistance
This webinar highlights some of the work being done to identify effective practices for reducing concentrations of resistant bacteria and resistance genes at critical control points in beef feedlot and dairy manure management systems. This presentation was originally broadcast on November 15, 2019. More… Continue reading “Managing Manure to Mitigate Antibiotic Resistance”
One Health: Policies, Practices and Priorities to Address Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical human health issue worldwide. Although conversations about AMR causes and solutions often focus on the role of agriculture versus the role of human medicine, the reality is that there are many facets to consider when attempting to understand and address antimicrobial resistance. This session – curated by members of a nationwide team cooperating on a new outreach program titled iAMResponsible – will feature invited experts engaging in conversations about the shared responsibility among food producers and processors, consumers, policy makers and the medical community to understand and address antimicrobial resistance. Continue reading “One Health: Policies, Practices and Priorities to Address Antimicrobial Resistance”
i(AM)Responsible: A Nationwide Network for Engaging Consumers and Agricultural Producers in Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
Antimicrobial resistant infections have been recognized globally as a significant threat to public health. While research to characterize antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in microbial populations on livestock production systems has progressed since launching the AFRI Food Safety AMR Program, a nationwide coordinated effort among university outreach programs to convey science-based knowledge on AMR dynamics to stakeholders, including agricultural producers, food safety experts, educators, consumers, medical professionals, and policymakers, remains undeveloped. Significant uncertainty about the exact cause(s) and factors impacting proliferation of AMR still exists. As research continues to focus on these topics, developing nationwide capacity for conducting effective scientific outreach and stakeholder education on this topic will be critical to disseminating best management strategies that stakeholders can implement to mitigate their contributions to AMR. Continue reading “i(AM)Responsible: A Nationwide Network for Engaging Consumers and Agricultural Producers in Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)”