MRSA bacteria in Meat- Report From the CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/17/6/1135.htm
With the recent reports of E.coli outbreaks in Germany many of us fear that E.coli is a number one concern for illness. MRSA bacteria infections are still far and above E.coli food borne bacteria causing infections and death. "MRSA infections (19,000 deaths) have outpaced the rate of deaths caused by AIDS-related illness (17,011 deaths) in this country," According to a report in JAMA 2007. These statistics are shocking. MRSA bacteria has not been conquired and at this rate may never be. The report by the Center for Disease Control reports, MRSA bacteria has been found in meat. It is true you can cook meat and kill MRSA bacteria but what about handling this raw meat before you cook it? The raw meat can contaminate surfaces, hands, cutting boards, and utencils.
Careful handling of raw meat, cleaning hands, cutting boards, and utensils will help prevent the spread of MRSA bacteria. There are many concerns about MRSA being in unpasterized milk as well. MRSA bacteria needs to be destroyed on farms before it even gets to our kitchens.
MRSA bacteria is an airborne pathogen and normally exists on the skin and in the nose of many people and animals without ever affecting us. However if our bodies are weakend by illness or trauma we can become suseptible to MRSA bacteria infection.
Factory farming have increased the MRSA bacteria problems all over the world. Animals live in close quarters and are often given antibiotics to ensure better health and rapid growth but the antibiotics have made MRSA bacteria mutate and become more resistant to antibiotics.
Proper ventilation, air filtration, and purification using photocatalitic oxidation on these farms could significantly reduce airborne pathogens and reduce the spread of disease and infection.