Antibiotic misuse in poultry farms spread bacteria to environment, says CSE study

A new study conducted by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) pointed out that the antibiotics used in poultry farms could cause the spreading of multi-drug resistant bacteria to the environment and it can affect human beings adversely.

CSE researchers collected litter (that included faecal samples) and soil from 12 randomly selected poultry farms in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab. The soil samples were collected from three sources: from inside chicken coops, poultry farm soil, and the adjoining farms. Three species of bacteria were found in the samples- E coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and staphylococcus lentus.

When these bacterial samples were tested for resistance, it found that these were multi drug resistant.

This indicates that the multi-drug resistant E. coli being created in the poultry farms is entering the environment through litter. From the agricultural fields, these bacteria can spread into groundwater and food and can infect human beings and animals.