Slaughter and DeLauro Highlight New Report Detailing Antibiotic Resistance in Foodborne Pathogens
WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswomen Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY) and Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT) highlighted a report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) that detailed more than 55 foodborne illness outbreaks since 1973, and said the alarming compilation of evidence should compel federal regulators to fulfill their duty to protect public health from the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in their food. Forty-eight of these 55 foodborne illnesses were caused by Salmonella. In 31 of these outbreaks, the bacteria were resistant to five or more antibiotics. In 2011 alone, three Salmonella outbreaks in turkey and beef sickened 168 and hospitalized 48 people.
“How many more outbreaks will it take before the USDA and the FDA take this problem seriously?” Slaughter said. “We have evidence that the practice of overusing antibiotics in food-animals is ruining these drugs’ effectiveness, and every day that the government stands idly by, we move closer to the nightmare scenario where routine infections can no longer be cured with antibiotic treatment.”