Nationwide study finds U.S. meat and poultry is widely contaminated

Multi-drug-resistant Staph found in nearly 1 in 4 samples, review shows

Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) - Press Release

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — April 15, 2011 — Drug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria linked to a wide range of human diseases, are present in meat and poultry from U.S. grocery stores at unexpectedly high rates, according to a nationwide study by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).

Nearly half of the meat and poultry samples — 47 percent — were contaminated with S. aureus, and more than half of those bacteria — 52 percent — were resistant to at least three classes of antibiotics, according to the study published today in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

This is the first national assessment of antibiotic resistant S. aureus in the U.S. food supply. And, DNA testing suggests that the food animals themselves were the major source of contamination....


Press Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
syozwiak@tgen.org

Source: Nationwide study finds U.S. meat and poultry is widely contaminated
Author: TGen

Link: Drug-Resistant Staph Bacteria Found in Meat, Poultry Nationwide - Exactly what this means in terms of consumer risk still unclear
Link: High bacteria levels in meat at U.S. stores: report
Link: High levels of drug-resistant bacteria have been found in meats within your local grocery stores,
Link: US Meat and Poultry Is Widely Contaminated With Drug-Resistant Staph Bacteria, Study Finds


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