Toxic emissions from industrial farms

Human Health Toxic emissions from industrial farms are having serious adverse health effects on U.S. citizens (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Over the last 50-60 years, we have seen a rapid shift from small diverse family farms and grazing operations towards large industrial confinement operations. But while the industrialization of farming has resulted in an abundance of so-called ‘cheap’ meat, eggs and dairy products, we now know there are significant hidden costs—including to our health. Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Human Health - AntibioticsThe development of antibiotics was hailed as one of the most important advances in modern medicine. Yet we are on the brink of losing these miracle drugs—and industrial farming is one of the key causal factors. Scientists around the world now emphatically link the routine use of antibiotics in intensive livestock farming to the dramatic rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria, or “superbugs.” Today, almost all intensively farmed animals in the U.S. receive regular low levels of antibiotics in feed or water. But they are not given to treat sickness: these drugs are used to help farmers keep ever-greater numbers of animals in close confinement without the risk of disease outbreaks, and to increase productivity. In the U.S., we use more antibiotics per pound of meat produced than any other nation. The USDA estimates 80% of all antibiotics produced in the U.S. are used in food animal production—over 32 million pounds in 2013 alone. The problem is that using low doses of antibiotics naturally selects for resistance. When bacteria are exposed to low doses of antibiotics, some get stronger and harder to kill and these stronger bacteria can quickly spread between animals and farms. Bacteria can also exchange resistant traits with different species that have never been exposed to the antibiotic. As a result, some dangerous strains of bacteria found in animals, such as E. coli, salmonella and S. aureus, have mutated and are now resistant to multiple antibiotics. If you get infected with an antibiotic-resistant strain of E. coli, salmonella or S. aureus, what was once a low-risk, easy-to-treat disease can quickly develop into a life-threatening illness. Industry Response Industry Response - Industrial Farmed PigsFor decades, the U.S. industrial farming lobby denied any causal link between antibiotics in intensive farming systems and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (and continues to do so). But in response to growing public concern, we have seen a number of industry developments on antibiotic use in food production. In 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration introduced voluntary recommendations to phase out the use of antibiotics as growth promoters and require veterinary approval of antibiotics in feed and water (although leading critics claim it will do little to decrease the overall quantities of antibiotics used on farms). More recently, several major players launched various farm antibiotic initiatives, including Perdue Foods, Tyson Food, Cargill and McDonald’s. In May 2015, Walmart became the first major retailer to introduce voluntary guidelines limiting suppliers to only using antibiotics to treat and prevent disease (and not for growth promotion). Of course, the devil is in the detail: loopholes and caveats mean many of these initiatives will do little to reduce antibiotic use or the development of antibiotic resistance. For example, McDonald’s recently announced they will source chicken “raised without antibiotics that are important to human medicine.” A closer examination of their plans, however, reveals the human drugs they intend to prohibit from their supply chain are not presently approved for use in food animals. In other words, McDonald’s is triumphantly prohibiting drugs that would probably never be used in food animal production anyway. What’s more, the fast food giant’s plans do nothing to address the continued use of antimicrobial drugs identified as critically important to human medicine and approved for food animal use. So nothing has really changed. Similarly, recent marketing initiatives to promote “antibiotic-free” meat and livestock products (where antibiotics are ‘banned’) won’t solve antibiotic resistance or aid sustainable food production. Most “antibiotic-free” farms are industrial confinement operations, with the same old welfare and environmental problems. The label simply encourages a two-tier food system where wealthy people are hoodwinked into paying more for better meat, while the vast majority continue to buy ‘affordable’ meat, eggs and dairy from mainstream industrial farms where routine antibiotics are still used (read our blog on the antibiotic-free label). Banning antibiotics is not the answer and will only lead to welfare problems. What we need are fundamental changes to the industrial farming model. Other Health Concerns Human Health - ObesityAs our diets have changed to incorporate the ever-increasing availability of so-called ‘cheap’ meat and dairy products and highly processed food, devastating diet-related diseases—like heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and some diet-related cancers—have reached epidemic levels in the U.S. In 2008, 33.8% of U.S. adults were diagnosed as clinically obese, while one in three people born in 2000 in the U.S. will develop Type 2 diabetes by 2050. But the impact on our children is the most worrying of all: Obesity rates among U.S. pre-school age children—we’re talking about kids of just two to five years old—increased from 5% to 10.4% between 1976 and 2008. During the same period, obesity among six to 11-year-olds increased from 6.5% to 19.6%, while obesity among 12 to 19-year-olds rose from 5% to 18.1%. Industrial farming systems are bad for our health in other ways. Toxic emissions from industrial farms—including gases, particulates and bioaerosols such as hydrogen sulphide, fecal waste dust, pharmaceutical residues and bacteria—are having serious adverse health effects on U.S. citizens who live nearby. When examining the health of local communities in a region of North Carolina that is densely populated with industrial hog operations, numerous studies have found residents suffer acute physical symptoms, including eye and nasal irritation, respiratory symptoms, difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness, and nausea, as well as anxiety and other nervous disorders. The evidence is so great that one study concluded that “Exposure to air pollution from hog operations is an environmental injustice in rural areas hosting facilities that supply pork to populations spared the burdens of its production.” Unfortunately, many of these communities are among the poorest in America. TAKE POSITIVE ACTION No farming system can guarantee animals will never get sick. But raising animals outdoors on pasture and in ways that maximize natural immunity and minimize stress will get pretty close—and results in far wider benefits. At AGW, we believe antibiotics must always remain in the farmers’ toolbox to treat illness and prevent suffering in animals, which is why our farm certifications allow antibiotics only to treat sick or injured animals and where alternative treatments are not deemed effective or appropriate. For health reasons, we all need to cut back on the amount of unhealthy, intensively-reared meat, eggs and dairy we consume—and choose high-welfare, pasture-based food instead. The comparative health benefits of pasture-based and grassfed beef against feedlot beef, for example, are already well documented. As well as having less total fat, saturated fat, calories and cholesterol, research shows that grassfed beef has more vitamin E and C, beta carotene, and health-producing fats like omega 3s and CLAs. Finally, we know that well-managed pasture-based farming systems do not result in the same health-threatening pollution problems found Pollution U.S. industrial livestock farms produce up to 1.37 billion tons of manure each year—that’s 20 times more fecal waste than the entire U.S. human population (PHOTO: USDA NRCS) Today, industrial or intensive farming dominates U.S. livestock production. Nearly all the meat, poultry and dairy products consumed in the U.S. come from industrial-scale operations where thousands of cattle, tens of thousands of pigs and hundreds of thousands of chickens are kept in closely confined conditions, indoors or on dirt lots. But when you confine large numbers of animals in one place, you also have to deal with the huge volumes of excrement they produce. Research shows that U.S. industrial livestock farms produce up to 1.37 billion tons of manure each year—that’s 20 times more fecal waste than the entire U.S. human population! This poses serious pollution risks to water resources and the air around us. Water Pollution Dead fish floating in green waste water Water-soluble nutrients and other toxic contaminants from inadequate farm waste disposal systems often finds its way into waterways and groundwater systems, polluting drinking water and killing aquatic life. Industrial agriculture is the leading contributor of pollutants to lakes, rivers and reservoirs in the U.S. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), many states with high concentrations of large industrial livestock operations experience 20 to 30 serious water quality problems a year as a result of manure management problems. Whether we’re talking cattle, hogs or poultry, industrial livestock operations produce vast quantities of concentrated waste–a toxic concoction of feces, heavy metals, antibiotic and other drug residues, growth hormones, animal blood and harmful bacteria such as E. coli. Even moderately intensive livestock operations can produce as much manure as a small sized city: a 2,500-head dairy cattle operation, for example, can produce as much waste as 61,000 people. However, there are two important differences. First, livestock wastes can be up to 100 times more concentrated than human wastes; second, human waste must be treated before it is discharged into the environment. Most industrial livestock operations pump the toxic liquid waste output into vast open containment tanks or lagoons (as in the Georgia hog operation at the top of this page). Some of these lagoons are as big as several football fields (zoom in on this Google Map of two relatively small intensive hog operation in North Carolina for an idea of the scale). One of the cheapest–and therefore most common–disposal methods is to periodically spray the liquid waste on surrounding fields. The problem is the waste is often sprayed at such high application rates—or so frequently—that the soil and plants cannot absorb it, let alone utilize it. This over-application leads to toxic run-off, where water-soluble nutrients and other contaminants find their way into waterways and groundwater systems, polluting our drinking water and rivers. Leaks or breaks in storage or containment units, as well as accidents and storm floods, can also result in massive releases of the toxic waste into our waterways. Researchers state that, based on available data, “generally accepted livestock waste management practices do not adequately or effectively protect water resources from contamination with excessive nutrients, microbial pathogens, and pharmaceuticals present in the waste.” Water tests also reveal other contamination, including hormones in surface waters around industrial livestock farms where hormones are routinely used to promote animal growth or productivity. Research shows these hormones can alter the reproductive habits of aquatic species, affecting the fertility of female fish and other species. The threat to our water supplies from industrial livestock farming is not limited to toxic manure effluent. Vast quantities of fertilizer are used to grow millions of acres of grain crops for livestock feed. Combined with the toxic manure effluent, fertilizer runoff from intensive grain production is directly contributing to the 230 recognized oxygen-deprived Dead Zones along the U.S. coast where almost no life exists beneath the water, such as in Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. In 2014, the Gulf Dead Zone measured 5,052 square miles–more than twice the size of the state of Delaware. Air Pollution Environmental Pollution - Animal Waste Lagoon Some animal waste lagoons can be as big as several football fields. The storage waste effluent in open lagoons, and frequent spreading, can result in significant greenhouse gas emissions, as well as toxic gases and particulate dust (USDA NRCS) The pollution risks from industrial farming systems are not limited to surface and groundwater. The storage of waste effluent in open lagoons, and its frequent spreading on nearby fields, can result in significant air emissions, including toxic gases and particulate dust. Exposed to the elements, the waste lagoons emit toxic gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, as well as methane and nitrous oxide—key greenhouse gases (see our section on CLIMATE CHANGE). Industrial operations that keep animals on dirt feedlots are also responsible for the production of significant quantities of harmful particulates, comprising of dried feces and urine, feed and bedding material, as well as bacteria and pharmaceutical residues (see our section on HUMAN HEALTH). All can significantly affect the air quality in areas near industrial farms, leading to environmental and human health problems. TAKE POSITIVE ACTION At AGW, we know that well-managed pasture-based farming systems do not result in the same environmental pollution risks to water or air as industrial livestock farms do. In pasture-based systems, livestock urine and feces are not pumped into vast open-air lagoons and disposed of in high concentrations. Instead, manure is either naturally deposited as the livestock are grazed or moved across the land, or stored carefully over the winter period for targeted spreading as a valuable natural fertilizer at appropriate periods later in the year. Climate Change Supporters of intensive farming often ignore the environmental impact—including greenhouse emissions—from the production of vast quantities of grain-based livestock feed You’ve probably heard claims that industrial or intensive livestock farming is the most “environmentally-friendly” way to produce meat–particularly beef. The argument goes like this: Confining many thousands of cattle on dirt feedlots and feeding a grain-based diet (rather than grazing pasture) increases production efficiency. Grain-fed cattle reach slaughter weight quicker than when fed grass or forage, reducing the amount of the key greenhouse gas, methane, that’s emitted per pound of beef produced. Some people claim the only way we can feed the growing global appetite for animal protein–and avoid the potentially catastrophic methane emissions associated with grassfed and grass-finished livestock–is to expand and intensify livestock production. Sounds plausible, right? Greenhouse Gas Emissions Climate Change - FeedlotThe problem is this argument strongly conflicts with the scientific evidence that pasture-based farming systems–especially those involving cattle and sheep–have a far better environmental profile when it comes to total GHG emissions. If you look solely at the direct methane gas emitted by individual cattle during their lifetime, data show that pastured or grassfed cattle produce more of this particular GHG than intensive feedlot cattle systems. Yet proponents of intensive farming conveniently ignore the total GHG emissions associated with intensive beef production–including emissions from the production and transport of vast quantities of grain-based feed consumed by the millions of feedlot cattle each year. It’s now widely accepted that intensive cattle feedlots and other confinement livestock systems are responsible for the vast majority of agriculture’s total GHG emissions. This criticism doesn’t just come from environmental groups. A report from the U.S. National Research Council (USNRC), for example, states that U.S. intensive agriculture is the nation’s largest contributor of the important greenhouse gases, nitrous oxide and methane. Nitrous oxide is the most potent GHG, with the ability to absorb 310 times more heat per molecule than carbon dioxide. One of the biggest sources of nitrous oxide in agriculture is the manufacture and use of nitrogen-based fertilizers. Indeed, the U.S. Energy Information Administration indicates that the majority (87%) of agricultural emissions result from the manufacture and application of nitrogen fertilizer to soils to grow grain, such as corn and soy (the remaining 13% comes from the management of animal waste). Methane is not only released by grassfed or pasture-raised cattle. This key GHG is also produced during the bacterial decomposition of livestock manure where there is no free oxygen present (anaerobic conditions). Research reveals anaerobic conditions are far more likely to occur when large numbers of animals are managed in a confined area and where manure is stored in vast open lagoons, such as cattle feedlots or industrial indoor pig and poultry farms. What’s more, the USNRC states that “manure from animals fed with grain-based, high energy diets is more degradable and has higher methane production potential than manure from animals fed with a roughage diet,” a fact rarely recognized by proponents of industrial farming. Across the world, the rapid expansion of intensive livestock production is also leading to massive deforestation—and the associated carbon dioxide emissions—as forests are cut down and cleared to provide more pasture to graze livestock or grow livestock feed. If we further intensify livestock farming to meet the demand for so-called ‘cheap’ meat, dairy products and eggs, we’ll also need to increase the intensive production of feed grain—most likely fertilizer-hungry, genetically modified soy and corn, resistant to ever-increasing doses of herbicides. Producing more grain will require more artificial fertilizers, meaning increased oil consumption–and increased GHG emissions. We all know this just isn’t an option. TAKE POSITIVE ACTION Climate Change - Grazing Angus AcresPut simply, a shift to pasture-based and grassfed livestock systems would be far better for the planet. Leading researchers now believe that well-managed livestock grazing systems—as advocated by AGW—have a potentially vital role to play in helping to cut global GHG emissions by capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and locking it underground through carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration is a naturally occurring process where CO2 is transferred from the atmosphere into the soil through crop residues and other organic solids. As cattle and other ruminants graze and naturally fertilize pasture, this stimulates grasses to produce more leaves and root mass. As the grass grows, it absorbs more CO2, which is eventually converted through complex biological processes into a stable form of carbon within the soil, where it can remain for centuries (if left undisturbed). If this carbon storage role is taken into account, some researchers found that pasture-raised beef cattle had 15% lower emissions than their feedlot cousins. Accurately quantifying how much soil carbon sequestration contributes is difficult, and it can vary dramatically from place to place. But one thing is for sure: when it comes to climate change, pasture-based or grassfed cattle systems can no longer be disregarded as the less environmentally friendly option. When comparing GHG emissions in industrial and pasture-raised pigs and poultry systems, however, the picture isn’t as clear-cut. Even pasture-raised pigs and chickens need some grain to eat, as these animals cannot obtain all their dietary requirements from pasture alone. Of course, a lot depends on how this grain is produced, how much fertilizer is used and so on. But when you look beyond GHG emissions and start to consider other important issues—such as the impact of industrial farming on animal welfare, environmental pollution and human health—the benefits of pasture-based systems for all livestock species become much clearer. The Facts About Antibiotics in Livestock & Poultry Production DOWNLOAD NOW Consumers are rightfully asking many questions about how livestock and poultry are raised and we want to answer those questions. Few issues are as complex, however, as the issue of antibiotic use in livestock and poultry production. Meat and poultry companies recognize – and share – consumers’ desire for safe meat and poultry products that will nourish their families. While antibiotics are as necessary for livestock and poultry health as they are for human health, meat and poultry producers realize the importance of using antibiotics judiciously to ensure their continued effectiveness in animals and people. This brochure provides well-referenced information to help you sort fact from fiction, to learn about changes under way in the meat and poultry industry and to help you make the best choices from the diverse options in America’s abundant meat case. Want to See How Antibiotics Are Used on the Farm? Here’s a look on the farm with Dr. Brad Jones, a veterinarian with the University of Nebraska and Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center. “I think the use of antibiotics in our industry is appropriate and I would also use the term responsible. It’s appropriate for animal well-being and comfort. It’s appropriate to treat certain diseases that affect the animal,” Jones says. “How we utilize antibiotics and the decisions we make when we give them have a lot of thought behind them; not only thought because we’re mandated to because of laws and rules, but thought because we understand the importance of maintaining use of antibiotics in our industry for the health and well-being of animals.” History Meat and poultry producers realize the importance of using antibiotics judiciously to ensure their continued effectiveness. Antibiotics are substances that can destroy bacteria. They are widely used for the prevention, control and treatment of diseases and infections. While our understanding of how antibiotics work has expanded in recent decades, antibiotics are not new. Centuries ago, ancient Egyptians, Chinese and Central American Indians used molds to treat infected wounds, though they did not understand how or why these molds were effective. In the late 1880s, scientists began to identify antibiotics derived from molds and set in motion a new chapter in medical treatment. It wasn’t until the 1940s, however, that penicillin, which is derived from a mold, became commercially available. Its widespread use to treat infections saved many military personnel injured or wounded during World War II. In the 20th century, livestock and poultry producers also incorporated antibiotics into their comprehensive animal husbandry practices that also include clean water and nutritious food for their animals, shelter from heat and cold, vaccinations and medical treatment when needed. But some have raised concerns that antibiotics may be used too often.1 A new analysis2 published as a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine by officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and IMS Health shows that U.S. doctors are prescribing enough antibiotics to treat four out of five Americans every year, and the authors say the data suggests they are being overused in humans. Health care providers prescribed 258 million courses of antibiotics in 2010. A more recent 2013 CDC report3 found that half of prescriptions given to people are unnecessary. Why Do Antibiotics Require Caution? In general, the ability of bacteria to develop defenses against assaults from antibiotics makes ongoing research critical. Like the rest of the animal kingdom, species of bacteria have many different characteristics that vary widely. Some antibiotics can be extremely effective against certain bacteria but may not work to treat other bacteria. That’s why it is important to treat problem bacteria with the correct antibiotic. Experts say that giving high doses of antibiotics to treat infections – an approach long thought to be the best strategy to “knock out” an infection – may actually trigger some bacteria to become resistant. In simple terms, in the face of a threat to survival, some bacteria put up their best defenses. Other bacteria are naturally resistant to certain antibiotics. Another reason for caution: when an antibiotic is administered, it impacts the entire population of bacteria in the body. When some bacteria that are susceptible to the antibiotic are destroyed, other bacteria may thrive because there is less competition and they begin to multiply. Sometimes, these remaining bacteria are resistant to one or more antibiotics and a larger problem can develop. Resistance develops in bacteria when they are challenged, but not destroyed, as they might be with the wrong antibiotic, with too low a dose or too short a course of treatment, which is why antibiotic prescription bottles often say “Finish all medications.” Veterinary Use and Oversight Because livestock and poultry are consumed for food, regulatory and veterinary oversight of the use of antibiotics is particularly strict. Like people, animals become ill and can develop conditions similar to common human infections like pneumonia, skin infections and others. Most pet owners have experienced the need to give their cats and dogs antibiotics to treat infections. Livestock and poultry are no different. Not providing antibiotics when needed would harm a sick animal’s well-being and could cause a more widespread infection in other animals in a home, herd or flock. Because livestock and poultry are consumed for food, regulatory and veterinary oversight of the use of antibiotics is particularly strict. The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine must approve all antibiotics used for food producing animals. There are four broad categories of antibiotic use: Treatment — antibiotics are given to treat an animal with a diagnosed illness. Control — antibiotics can be given to control the spread of an illness on a farm or ranch in the face of an outbreak. Prevention— because livestock and poultry share water and feed troughs and seek close contact with one another by licking, laying on each other and even rubbing snouts and noses, illnesses can spread rapidly. Sometimes, veterinarians recommend using antibiotics to prevent diseases at times when livestock are particularly at risk, like during weaning from the mother. Swift, preventive actions often mean a livestock will receive fewer antibiotics than they would have if they had not received a preventive dose. Growth Promotion— The use of some antibiotics can destroy certain bacteria in the gut and help livestock and poultry convert feed to muscle more quickly causing more rapid growth. This class of use has been the subject of controversy and scrutiny, and in 2012, FDA4 asked livestock and poultry producers to phase out use of antibiotics for growth purposes. The American Meat Institute (AMI) and its members support FDA’s decision. Medical, Veterinary and Regulatory Oversight In 2012, FDA asked livestock and poultry producers to phase out use of antibiotics for growth purposes. The American Meat Institute (AMI) and its members support FDA’s decision. “Right now the most acute problem is in hospitals. And the most resistant organisms in hospitals are emerging in those settings, because of poor antimicrobial stewardship among humans.” Thomas Frieden, MD, director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Antibiotics, whether used in humans, livestock or poultry, are overseen by physicians and veterinarians to ensure that they are used appropriately. While many in the public health community urge doctors to use restraint in prescribing antibiotics, many physicians report that patients demand them even when they are not warranted and they feel pressured to satisfy their patients.5 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Every time a person takes antibiotics, sensitive bacteria are killed, but resistant germs may be left to grow and multiply. Repeated and improper uses of antibiotics are primary causes of the increase in drug-resistant bacteria.” 6 In September 2013, the CDC released a new report called Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States. According to the report, 50 percent of all the antibiotics prescribed for people are not needed or are not optimally effective. In releasing the report, CDC Director Thomas Frieden, MD, said, “Right now the most acute problem is in hospitals. And the most resistant organisms in hospitals are emerging in those settings, because of poor antimicrobial stewardship among humans.” The report expressed concern about the use of antibiotics for growth promotion in animal production and said they should be phased out, an effort that is underway and that the meat industry supports. Clearly, it is essential that veterinarians exercise their medical judgment and careful oversight of antibiotic use in livestock and poultry production. FDA recently took steps to expand the role of the veterinarian in managing antibiotics given to food-producing animals. In addition, antibiotic use for growth promotion is being discontinued. AMI and its members support FDA’s efforts to increase veterinary oversight of all antibiotic use. Despite claims to the contrary, data show limited overlap in antibiotics given to humans and animals, which offers additional protection. Residues Monitored by USDA Whenever an antibiotic is given to a food animal, a strict waiting or “withdrawal” period is required before that animal can be processed into meat or poultry. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) conducts a monitoring program to ensure that antibotics are effectively eliminated from animals’ systems and that no unsafe residues are detected in meat and poultry. 7 When illegal antibiotic residues are detected, AMI and its members support rapid trace back and corrective actions, like removing that product from the food supply and providing immediate feedback to producers, to correct the problem. Overall Trends in Use Meat and poultry producers recognize the confusion and concern that exists around antibiotic use in meat and poultry production. Media reports often cite the total amount of antibiotics used in animals in a given year and sound alarms if it reflects an increase over the previous year. However, looking at the total volume used is a poor measure of appropriate use because livestock herds and poultry flocks shrink and expand with feed costs and other marketplace factors. Larger herds and flocks will, inevitably, require more medical treatment. In addition, if a contagious disease has impacted our herds and flocks, more antibiotics may be required that year. So what is the overall trend? There is no question that antibiotic use in livestock and poultry production is declining on a per animal basis as meat and poultry producers respond to public concern and as antibiotic use for growth promotion is phased out voluntarily at FDA’s request. Choices in the Marketplace All meat and poultry products are inspected before they are sold. This should provide assurance that products are safe. However, some consumers with concerns prefer to buy other products derived from animals never given antibiotics. Common choices in the market place include: Organic — the National Organic Program (NOP) requires that livestock or poultry are never given antibiotics. When an animal becomes ill on an organic farm and requires antibiotics – an event that is not unusual – that animal is treated and sent into a conventional production system and will not bear an organic label. ‘Raised Without Antibiotics’ or Similar Claim — these products are derived from animals raised without antibiotics. While this parallels organic production, these products may be derived from animals raised on farms that are not certified organic or that would not meet the NOP standards for other reasons. Conventional (no special claims) — may be derived from livestock or poultry given antibiotics for treatment, control, or prevention of disease, but a waiting period must pass before that animal is processed. Concluding Thoughts Meat and poultry producers recognize the questions that exist around antibiotic use in raising animals for food. While antibiotics are a critical health care tool that should be administered under veterinary oversight, we also know that using antibiotics judiciously is our responsibility...and your expectation. We take our responsibility seriously. Commonly Cited Myths About Antibiotic Use “Antibiotics wouldn’t be required if animals were raised differently in conditions that were less crowded or more sanitary.” Livestock and poultry farmers aim to raise all animals in conditions that promote their health, from fresh water and nutritious feed to clean living conditions. While some products, like organic products and those that make a ‘no antibiotics' claim, may create the impression that antibiotics were not needed, the fact is, animals in all production systems become sick at some time, just like all people do. Some labeling or certification programs specify only animals that were never treated with antibiotics will qualify. Organic meat and poultry products are good options that some consumers choose, but organic systems do not make antibiotics unnecessary. Animals do become ill in these operations; they are simply no longer organic once they are treated with antibiotics. Once well again, and after the required post treatment waiting period has passed, they must be processed as part of the “conventional” meat supply. "80 percent of antibiotics are used in animals." The fact is, animals in all production systems become sick at some time, just like all people do. This is one of the most common claims cited by media and by some activists and it lacks context. The number was created by comparing human and animal numbers that FDA cautioned against comparing.8 If you choose to accept the numbers, consider these facts: 9 Each year, more than 30 million cattle, 100 million hogs, 200 million turkeys and eight billion chickens are processed in the U.S. The combined weight of livestock and poultry in the U.S. is more than triple the combined weight of American men and women. A 1,200 pound steer is equal to roughly six men, for example. If a steer needs treatment for pneumonia, common sense will tell you that it will require a larger dose. Similarly, it is logical that our combined U.S. livestock and poultry herds and flocks will require more antibiotics by volume than our combined human population. While these are crude calculations about antibiotic use and dosing, they reveal the misleading nature of the “80 percent of antibiotics are used in animals” claim. It’s notable that the CDC in 2013 said over use of antibiotics in humans is the leading contributor to resistance. “Antibiotics may become ineffective in humans if they are given to food producing livestock and poultry.” When used judiciously, antibiotics are part of a farmer’s and veterinarian’s toolbox to maintain animal health. The vast majority of antibiotics are used either in people, or in animals, but not both. According to FDA, the largest category of sales in animals is tetracycline at 43 percent of the total volume, and ionophores, at 29 percent of the total volume. Ionophores are never used in human medicine and cannot contribute to human antibiotic resistance. Tetracyclines comprise only four percent of the total volume of sales for humans. Three compounds?penicillin, fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins?comprise 70 percent of the total sales for humans, while two different compounds?tetracyclines and ionophores?comprise 70 percent of the total volume sold for animals. The claim that the vast majority of the most “medically important” antibiotics are used in animals is not supported by the data. “Antibiotic resistant infections in humans like MRSA often come from meat and poultry products.” Actually, most human antibiotic resistant infections are acquired in hospitals and other residential health care facilities. The common use of antibiotics in hospitals, by necessity, means that more antibiotic resistant bacteria are present in the environment. In the hospital setting, people are often immune-compromised making them more susceptible to bacteria in the environment According to CDC, the most serious methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are associated with a healthcare exposure10 and the remainder are typically community acquired through contact with an infected person. CDC’s web site notes, “Anyone can get MRSA through direct contact with an infected wound or by sharing personal items, such as towels or razors, that have touched infected skin. MRSA infection risk can be increased when a person is in activities or places that involve crowding, skin-to-skin contact, and shared equipment or supplies. This might include athletes, daycare and school students, military personnel in barracks, and those who recently received inpatient medical care.” Bacteria on meat and poultry, whether antibiotic resistant or not, are destroyed through cooking. That means that basic safe handling practices in the kitchen, like hand washing, separating raw and ready-to-eat foods and thorough cooking, are your best line of defense. “Antibiotic resistant bacteria are increasing on U.S. meat and poultry products.” USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) sampling data show that bacteria on raw meat and poultry products are decreasing across the board ?not increasing. The objective of every meat and poultry processor is to eliminate pathogenic bacteria on products before they are consumed. The National Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring Program System (NARMS) 11 also shows that the bacteria found on some raw meat and poultry are declining in the wake of changes in meat and poultry production practices. A recently published scientific report found that among specific pathogens, resistance to several of the critical antibiotic classes has not expanded. 12 It’s also worth noting that while bacteria may become resistant to one antibiotic, that does not mean they are resistant to all. It’s very rare in human medicine that any infection cannot be treated with an antibiotic. The rules of nature suggest that bacteria will always exist on fresh meat and poultry products at some low level and some of these bacteria will have become resistant to some antibiotics they have encountered. The most important questions to answer are 1) Are these bacteria causing illness, and 2) Can they be treated? The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has been clear on this issue: “It is an oversimplification to conclude that resistance in any bacterium is problematic for human health. Some bacteria are naturally resistant to certain drugs…Describing certain bacteria that are resistant to one, or even a few, drugs as ‘superbugs’ is inappropriate. Rather, ‘superbugs’ are pathogens that can cause severe disease and are very difficult to treat.”13 Glossary of Terms Antimicrobial resistance — the property of bacteria or other microbes that become resistant to the effects of a drug after being exposed to them. This means that the drug, and similar drugs, will no longer work against those bacteria. If resistant bacteria enter the food supply, and if they are not destroyed by proper cooking, drugs normally used to treat people infected with those bacteria may not work. Antibiotics — any of a large group of chemical substances, as penicillin or streptomycin, produced by various microorganisms and fungi, having the capacity in dilute solutions to inhibit the growth of or to destroy bacteria and other microorganisms, used chiefly in the treatment of infectious diseases. Withdrawal period — the period before slaughter and processing when an animal may receive no antibiotics or other medications to ensure time for antibiotics to be effectively eliminated from an animal’s system. Antibiotic residue — an antibiotic residue is a portion of antibiotics that remains in the body after antibiotic use has been discontinued. USDA operates a residue monitoring program to ensure that meat and poultry are safe and that residues are not a public health issue. Footnotes [1] “The spread of superbugs,” The Economist, March 31, 2011, accessed at http://www.economist.com/node/18483671 [2] U.S. Outpatient Antibiotic Prescribing, 2010, New England Journal of Medicine, April 11, 2013, http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1212055 [3] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web Site, accessed February 24, 2014 at http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/threat-report-2013/ [4] Food and Drug Administration Web site, http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/GuidanceComplianceEnforcement/GuidanceforIndustry/ucm216939.htm [5] Injudicious antibiotic use: An unforeseen consequence of the emphasis on patient satisfaction, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149291802850159 [6] Centers for Disease Control Web site, downloaded at http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/antibiotic-use/fast-facts.html [7] USDA National Residue Monitoring Program, http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/Chemistry/index.asp [8] Food and Drug Administration Web site, accessed February 24, 2014, http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm338178.htm [9] Food and Drug Administration Summary Report on Antimicrobials Sold or Produced for Use in Food Producing Animals, 2010 http://www.fda.gov/downloads/ForIndustry/UserFees/AnimalDrugUserFeeActADUFA/ucm277657.pdf [10] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, accessed February 24, 2014 at http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/organisms/mrsa-infection.html [11] 2010 Retail Meat Report, National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System, www.fda.gov [12] Doyle, M.P, Loneragan, G.H., Scott, H.M., Singer, R.S., Antimicrobial Resistance: Challenges and Perspectives, Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, Vol. 12, 2013. [13] Dunham, DVM, Bernadette, Director, Center for Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug Administration, Letter to the Editor, New York Times, April 23, 2013. Tour of How Antibiotics Are Used on the Farm meatnewsnetwork 38.4K subscribers Subscribe 90 Share 16,939 views Dec 22, 2015 Dr. Brad Jones, a veterinarian with the University of Nebraska and Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center takes viewers on a virtual tour of a livestock production facility to show the decision-making process regarding antibiotic use in cattle and pigs, including the diagnosis of illnesses, treatment and antibiotic use considerations and how animals are tracked from antibiotic administration to harvest. "I think the use of antibiotics in our industry is appropriate and I would also use the term responsible. It’s appropriate for animal well-being and comfort. It’s appropriate to treat certain diseases that affect the animal,” Jones says. “How we utilize antibiotics and the decisions we make when we give them have a lot of thought behind them; not only thought because we’re mandated to because of laws and rules, but thought because we understand the importance of maintaining use of antibiotics in our industry for the health and well-being of animals.” Chapters View all 15 Comments rongmaw lin Add a comment... GhostsDon'tWalk GhostsDon'tWalk 4 years ago Me: "Why are there so many dislikes?" scrolls down to comments "Oh, these people" :/ 7 Reply Esteban Carrizo Esteban Carrizo 4 years ago "Or in calves to be processed for veal." How lovely 1 Reply CAG CAG 1 month ago Mmm all the delicious things to eat. Reply Candor's Spot Candor's Spot 5 years ago Eat your growth hormones and antibiotics kids. 2 Reply Jade Jade 6 years ago Disturbing, I don't believe anything this guy says 10 Reply JB JB 5 years ago This is so sad. IT’S TIME TO ABOLISH THE MEAT INDUSTRY! 7 Reply 3 replies Frank Frank 3 years ago Pathetic ................................................ Reply Mary Christmas Mary Christmas 2 years ago Antibiotics should be used to treat illnesses and not to promote growth. Pigs are highly intelligent animals and should not be kept in a what amounts to a prison cell with no stimulus, industrial livestock farming is a disgrace, it's time the public stop eating cheap meat reared like this. Reply 2 replies The Antibiotic Resistance Crisis - Exploring Ethics University of California Television (UCTV) 1.22M subscribers Subscribe 390 Share 35,135 views Jun 27, 2017 (0:46 - Main Talk, 43:17 - Q & A) On our current trajectory, 300 million excess deaths will occur due to antibiotic resistance to by 2050. What can be done change our path and stop superbugs in their tracks? Victor Nizet, MD discusses the roots and scope of the problem as well as novel solutions. [7/2017] [Show ID: 31545] More from: Exploring Ethics (https://www.uctv.tv/exploring-ethics ) Explore More Health & Medicine on UCTV (https://www.uctv.tv/health ) UCTV features the latest in health and medicine from University of California medical schools. Find the information you need on cancer, transplantation, obesity, disease and much more. UCTV is the broadcast and online media platform of the University of California, featuring programming from its ten campuses, three national labs and affiliated research institutions. UCTV explores a broad spectrum of subjects for a general audience, including science, health and medicine, public affairs, humanities, arts and music, business, education, and agriculture. Launched in January 2000, UCTV embraces the core missions of the University of California -- teaching, research, and public service – by providing quality, in-depth television far beyond the campus borders to inquisitive viewers around the world. (https://www.uctv.tv ) Key moments View all 35 Comments rongmaw lin Add a comment... Muhammad Rizwan Muhammad Rizwan 1 year ago That was really a thought provoking talk thank you Victor Nizet 2 Reply Jan B Jan B 5 years ago Thank you for that amazing video! I think finding a way to boost the immune system naturally is critically in the future. Cold showers, good sleep and some ginger like nutrients are my favourites at the moment :) 3 Reply 1 reply 78987923 78987923 2 years ago One of the best explanation around the topic. Reply Nathan Kroeze Nathan Kroeze 4 years ago The true tragedy of the advent of antibiotic resistant bacteria is that the poor fungi that produce these antibiotics are no longer protected. 7 Reply Jetsetter Jetsetter 3 years ago (edited) It is a promising work of this lab , my question & concern is . Is Biofilm a part of antibiotics resistance or a contributing factor , something was said once the Biofilm is broken the old antibiotics , antifungals, antiparasitic medications resume their activities and can get at the bacteria, fungus, parasites that get exposed from protective layer of Biofilm ? ? 2 Reply Isabell Etz Isabell Etz 5 years ago Excellent presentation! 2 Reply 1 reply Austin Davis Austin Davis 3 years ago How is no one more scared and informed about this Reply Emoega Emoega 3 years ago 19:05 for the first solution that they are working on 2 Reply Matt Murphree Matt Murphree 2 years ago I find it interesting how people can throw these types of Statistics around casually. Is it the need to be heard or important? Reply Nafets Namla Nafets Namla 2 years ago Bacteriophages? Anyone? How can this get ignored in the western world over decades? Reply 1 reply RA Su RA Su 4 years ago 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Reply Jeff Markus Jeff Markus 9 months ago ah, 17:52 that would be called GLYPHOSATE - remove it from everything or is it already considered a PFAS Reply John Foreman John Foreman 5 months ago How come doctors in the States say “Anna” biotics? Isn’t it “Anti” biotics? Reply Payl Moffat Payl Moffat 1 year ago What happened to good old reliable Tetracycline Reply Kevin I Kevin I 1 year ago Feeding antibiotics by the ton to livestock has to stop. Reply 1 reply Akula Akula 5 years ago There is no antibiotic resistance crisis, there is an regulation crisis. If FDA approval takes 12-15 years and costs around two billion dollar per approved drug on average then there will be no new antibiotics, it is too expensive to get them approved. Reduce regulation and let patients and doctors decide if they want to try an experimental drug. 1 Reply 3 replies Jane Doe Jane Doe 5 years ago I was really interested in this talk, but I can't make it through how many times the speaker says "uh" and "uhm". 3 Reply 2 replies AMR in Kenya – Rising to the Challenge Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 165K subscribers Subscribe Like Share 2,034 views Feb 9, 2018 #UNFAO Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to human and animal health. One person dies from resistant infections every minute. But there is hope. We can keep antimicrobials (like antibiotics) working by using them less often in medicine and agriculture. How? By improving hygiene and biosecurity practices to help prevent infections and stop them from spreading. Watch how farmers in Kenya are taking up the challenge and share this video! Together we can stay ahead of superbugs. Add your AMR awareness activities to this global map: http://oms-platform.onebigrobot.com Visit http://www.fao.org/antimicrobial-resi... to learn more Follow us on http://www.twitter.com/FAOAnimalHealth Follow us on http://www.twitter.com/FAOAnimalHealth Subscribe! http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c... Follow #UNFAO on social media! * Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/UNFAO * Google+ - https://plus.google.com/+UNFAO * Instagram - https://instagram.com/unfao/ * LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fao * Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/faoknowledge © FAO: http://www.fao.org Comments are TOOLBOX – PREVENT INFECTION Food animals Infections in animals impact food production and drive antibiotic use. The main diseases treated with antibiotics are common endemic infections such as mastitis, pneumonia and diarrhoea. These diseases also cause decreased productivity. To have basic routines for prevention and control of infectious diseases at farms is crucial both to lower antibiotic use and the risk of spreading antibiotic resistance. To prevent disease and improve the health status of animals lay the groundwork for being able to reduce antibiotic use without losing productivity. Measures for infection prevention can be broadly categorized into three main themes: 1) Animal husbandry 2) Biosecurity 3) Vaccinations In one study of pig farms, improving health status among animals via biosecurity measures decreased the total antibiotic use by 52% from birth to slaughter without reducing productivity[6]. 1) Good animal husbandry Good animal husbandry and welfare practices will increase the animals’ ability to withstand disease. Poor husbandry practices lead to increased stress and diseases among the animals and thus affect productivity negatively. Areas to consider for improving the health status of the animals are[1]: Nutritional needs (amount of feed, nutrient content, hygienic quality) Providing clean drinking water Providing clean, comfortable and safe housing for the animals Temperature, lighting and ventilation for good air quality Adequate space per animal Manure management Possibility to quarantine sick animals (when appropriate) Observing and reducing stress behaviors Regular veterinary advice about disease management, treatments etc Improving internal and external biosecurity (see more below) Short movie from FAO on how farmers in Kenya are working to prevent infections and limit Antibiotic resistance Disease prevention in aquaculture – the Norwegian example Norway is one of the world’s main salmon producers, with an annual production of Atlantic salmon of 1.3 million tons[7]. It is also one of the countries with the lowest use of antibiotics in the aquaculture sector. Thus, large scale production of salmon is possible without regular use of antibiotics. Norway has managed to dramatically decrease the use of antibiotics, which peaked in 1989-90. At the same time the aquaculture production has increased more than tenfold. How? The most important factors have been[8]: Development of new vaccines and vaccination strategies Sanitary measures to prevent horizontal disease transmission (between sites and between salmon year classes) Strong legislative measures and consensus between governmental authorities and the industry to focus on disease control 2) Biosecurity Introduction and continuous improvement of biosecurity measures is essential for a health-oriented farming system. What is biosecurity? Biosecurity measures aim to prevent introduction or spread of disease at farms. External biosecurity refers to management steps taken to prevent the introduction of infectious agents into an animal herd or flock. It usually involves testing incoming animals, and some sort of quarantine or isolation for newly purchased or returning animals. The focus of internal biosecurity is to diminish the spread of an infectious agent within a herd.[1] Components of biosecurity include[1]; [9]: Ensuring good hygiene practices (e.g. hand washing, implementation of cleaning and disinfection routines) Isolation of new animals or sick animals to reduce the spread of infectious agents to the herd or flock Cleaning of materials entering the farm/premises to remove visible dirt Disinfection of materials after cleaning to inactivate any pathogens Practicing rodent control Use of all-in, all-out concept with cleaning and disinfection between batches of animals Relationship between biosecurity status, production parameters, herd characteristics and antimicrobial usage in pig production in four EU countries.[10] Description: Study that correlated biosecurity status with antimicrobial usage and production parameters such as weight gain and mortality. Biosecurity scores were calculated with the Biocheck.UGent tool. Place: Belgium, France, Germany and Sweden. Setting: Pig farms, farrow to finish. Finding: Higher biosecurity scores correlated with improved productivity and health, such as higher daily weight gain and lower incidence of antibiotic treatment. 3) Vaccines Vaccination is an efficient measure to prevent specific diseases, including bacterial infections. Both antibacterial and antiviral vaccination can reduce the need for antibiotics. Vaccinations make the animals healthier and thereby prevent unnecessary use of antibiotics[11]. Autogenous vaccination reduces antimicrobial usage and mortality[12] Description: A large pig breeding herd suffered from recurring outbreaks of a severe skin infection (exudative epidermitis). Sows were in a four-week batch production system. Pigs were weaned and moved to a nursery unit at an age of three weeks. At ten weeks, pigs were sold to fattening farms. Clinical signs of infection were seen one week after weaning and peaked at the third week. Almost 30% of pigs had signs of infection, leading to increased mortality and lower sales prices. Treatment with antibiotics and topical disinfectant had little effect. Place: Pig farm, Belgium. Setting: Commercial 1000-sow herd. Intervention: Bacteria (mainly Staphylococcus hyicus) were identified as probable cause of infection, and were used to create a vaccine at Biovac Santé Animale in France. Antibiotic prophylaxis was stopped and parts of the parent herd was vaccinated, others serving as control. Finding: Antibiotic use to treat the disease decreased from a total of 89 grams in non-vaccinated groups to 40 grams in the vaccinated groups. Total mortality decreased from 7% to 4%. Vaccination had an impact, but was not sufficient alone to eradicate the disease. Authors suggest further improvement of the vaccine and improvement in other husbandry practices. Looking for more information? Getting started and Interventions provide information and tools to facilitate work on infection prevention in the animal sector. RATIONAL USE – Food animals focuses on how to use antibiotics appropriately and how to reduce unnecessary routine use. UNDERSTAND gives background information about antibiotic resistance development and spread, and why it is important to take action. Selected Resources Resource Description Prudent and efficient use of antimicrobials in pigs and poultry[1] Manual to help farmers and animal health workers to use antibiotics prudently and prevent infections. Gives an overview of measures that can be taken and practical recommendations on how to improve the use of antibiotics and animal productivity. Also available in Russian. Animal nutrition strategies and options to reduce the use of antimicrobials in animal production[2] This paper by FAO provides guidance for animal nutrition strategies that can contribute to a healthy gastrointestinal tract and reduce the risk of diseases. The final aim is to prevent or minimize the need for antibiotics in dairy and meat production. Information on aquatic and terrestrial animal diseases[3] Information portal from WOAH with resources and information on more than 100 diseases affecting animals. Diseases are listed in alphabetical order and for the type of animal. Antibiotic Use in Food Animals Poses Risk to Public Health[4] Article. Information page from PEW discussing current evidence on antibiotic use in food animals and the impact on human health, with links to further scientific evidence. Use of Vaccines in Finfish Aquaculture[5] Fact sheet with basic information about vaccines, with a specific focus on finfish aquaculture (IFAS Extension, University of Florida, 2014). Further reading Myth: Antibiotics Are Primarily Used for Growth Promotion in Animals meatnewsnetwork 38.4K subscribers Subscribe 3 Share Download 1,237 views Sep 16, 2014 Keith Underwood, PhD from South Dakota State University addresses the common myth that the majority of antibiotics given to food animals are used to promote their growth. In reality less than 13% of antibiotics are used for growth promotion and antibiotics are more often given to control, treat or prevent disease. Chapters View all 1 Comment rongmaw lin Add a comment... Jonash Mallari Jonash Mallari 6 years ago It does not matter if it's only 13%. The fact is antibiotics should never be used for growth promotion! 3 Reply FOODApril 19, 2022 Why meat with 'raised without antibiotics' labels could be misleading PHOTO: A USDA Choice sticker appears on a package of beef on display in a supermarket in New York, May 30, 2008. 1:41Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE The evolution of Rihanna By Kelly McCarthy Share — GMA Newsletters Sign up for our newsletters to get GMA delivered to your inbox every morning! Email Address Yes! I would like to receive updates, special offers, and other information from GMA Shop Newsletter. Yes! I would like to receive the GMA Wake-Up newsletter for news briefings, deals, and more. By creating an account, I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy and California Privacy Notice. Read the Latest: GMA Wake-Up GMA Shop A new study found that meat labels may be misleading shoppers in search of beef "raised without antibiotics." Labels represent an important source of information for consumers who are trying to reduce their consumption of cattle treated with antibiotics, and in so doing, push down the overall demand for livestock treated with the medicines. Advocates of antibiotic-free meat products cite numerous potential human health risks associated excessive use of the medicines. Chief among them is the risk of breeding antibiotic resistant bacteria in cattle and other animal species that can potentially infect human populations. In 2017, the World Health Organization recommended that the food industry halt the use of antibiotics in livestock since "over-use and misuse of antibiotics in animals and humans is contributing to the rising threat of antibiotic resistance." PHOTO: A USDA Choice sticker appears on a package of beef on display in a supermarket in New York, May 30, 2008.Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE A USDA Choice sticker appears on a package of beef on display in a supermarket in New York, May 30, 2008. However, skeptics point out that reducing use of the medicines leads to only marginal reductions in antibiotic resistant bacteria. And, it's not clear how often antibiotic resistant bacteria in animals make the jump to humans, since most livestock are not routinely screened for the organisms. The new study, published in the American Association for the Advancement of Science journal, looked at research from George Washington University that tested urine samples from nearly 700 cattle across 312 lots and 33 USDA-certified antibiotic-free feed yards. Laura Rogers, deputy director of the Antibiotic Resistance Action Center (ARAC) and co-author of the study, told "Good Morning America" that "antibiotics should never have been administered to the animals intended for the RWA market." MORE: How swapping plant-based products for meat may improve cardiovascular health: New study The results found at least one animal tested positive in 42% of those feed yards, and 15% of the tested products labeled "raised without antibiotics" had residues from tetracycline, an antibiotic used for disease prevention in cattle. "This is disappointing to say the least. This is an important label claim and consumers should have confidence in it," Rogers continued, citing the number of cattle that tested positive. The Food Safety and Inspection Service confirmed to "Good Morning America" in a statement that it is "reviewing the referenced study more closely to determine next steps as appropriate. There is no indication within the study that the meat tested is unsafe to consume." "FSIS takes its responsibility to ensure that meat, poultry and egg product labels are truthful and not misleading very seriously. Labels bearing special claims about how an animal is raised must be approved by FSIS prior to their use in commerce. To ensure labels are truthful and not misleading, FSIS verifies documentation provided with label applications for claims like 'raised without antibiotics.' Labels may be rescinded if there is evidence that the statement is not truthful," the agency said. Rogers said, "The good news is that while we found 15% of the cattle positive, we also found 85% did not. This means that the majority of producers are following the rules. But we need to get that number from 85% to 100%." Co-authors Lance Price and Kevin Lo wrote that the findings "provide empirical evidence that a material portion of beef products currently being marketed with RWA labels is from cattle that were treated with antibiotics." While only about 700 cattle were tested in the study, the total amount of beef produced at these lots constitutes about 12% of the country's RWA supply. Based on the findings, the current mechanisms used to determine what can be labeled as "raised without antibiotics" could be flawed or lacking in accuracy. There is no federal verification system in place to ensure that meat labels are truthful or accurate. The Global Animal Partnership (GAP) has an "Animal Welfare Certified" label for meat products that are raised without antibiotics or hormones, but testing is not required. "We also hope consumers will use their powerful voices and call for reforming of the RWA and related labels. This can easily be achieved by USDA and/or retailers requiring empirical testing before animals are slaughtered," Rogers said. Lo and the team of researchers said this was a systemic issue beyond one farmer, retailer or restaurant. "The USDA should establish a rigorous verification system to ensure that RWA claims are truthful and accurate, or they should cease approving these labels," they wrote in the study. "For meaningful verification, the USDA should conduct or require continuous, on-site empirical testing for antibiotics on a meaningful number of animals from every lot delivered for processing." misleading of beef "raised without antibiotics." The evolution of Rihanna By Kelly McCarthy A new study found that meat labels may be misleading shoppers in search of beef "raised without antibiotics." Labels represent an important source of information for consumers who are trying to reduce their consumption of cattle treated with antibiotics, and in so doing, push down the overall demand for livestock treated with the medicines. Advocates of antibiotic-free meat products cite numerous potential human health risks associated excessive use of the medicines. Chief among them is the risk of breeding antibiotic resistant bacteria in cattle and other animal species that can potentially infect human populations. In 2017, the World Health Organization recommended that the food industry halt the use of antibiotics in livestock since "over-use and misuse of antibiotics in animals and humans is contributing to the rising threat of antibiotic resistance." PHOTO: A USDA Choice sticker appears on a package of beef on display in a supermarket in New York, May 30, 2008.Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE A USDA Choice sticker appears on a package of beef on display in a supermarket in New York, May 30, 2008. However, skeptics point out that reducing use of the medicines leads to only marginal reductions in antibiotic resistant bacteria. And, it's not clear how often antibiotic resistant bacteria in animals make the jump to humans, since most livestock are not routinely screened for the organisms. The new study, published in the American Association for the Advancement of Science journal, looked at research from George Washington University that tested urine samples from nearly 700 cattle across 312 lots and 33 USDA-certified antibiotic-free feed yards. Laura Rogers, deputy director of the Antibiotic Resistance Action Center (ARAC) and co-author of the study, told "Good Morning America" that "antibiotics should never have been administered to the animals intended for the RWA market." MORE: How swapping plant-based products for meat may improve cardiovascular health: New study The results found at least one animal tested positive in 42% of those feed yards, and 15% of the tested products labeled "raised without antibiotics" had residues from tetracycline, an antibiotic used for disease prevention in cattle. "This is disappointing to say the least. This is an important label claim and consumers should have confidence in it," Rogers continued, citing the number of cattle that tested positive. The Food Safety and Inspection Service confirmed to "Good Morning America" in a statement that it is "reviewing the referenced study more closely to determine next steps as appropriate. There is no indication within the study that the meat tested is unsafe to consume." "FSIS takes its responsibility to ensure that meat, poultry and egg product labels are truthful and not misleading very seriously. Labels bearing special claims about how an animal is raised must be approved by FSIS prior to their use in commerce. To ensure labels are truthful and not misleading, FSIS verifies documentation provided with label applications for claims like 'raised without antibiotics.' Labels may be rescinded if there is evidence that the statement is not truthful," the agency said. Rogers said, "The good news is that while we found 15% of the cattle positive, we also found 85% did not. This means that the majority of producers are following the rules. But we need to get that number from 85% to 100%." Co-authors Lance Price and Kevin Lo wrote that the findings "provide empirical evidence that a material portion of beef products currently being marketed with RWA labels is from cattle that were treated with antibiotics." While only about 700 cattle were tested in the study, the total amount of beef produced at these lots constitutes about 12% of the country's RWA supply. Based on the findings, the current mechanisms used to determine what can be labeled as "raised without antibiotics" could be flawed or lacking in accuracy. There is no federal verification system in place to ensure that meat labels are truthful or accurate. The Global Animal Partnership (GAP) has an "Animal Welfare Certified" label for meat products that are raised without antibiotics or hormones, but testing is not required. "We also hope consumers will use their powerful voices and call for reforming of the RWA and related labels. This can easily be achieved by USDA and/or retailers requiring empirical testing before animals are slaughtered," Rogers said. Lo and the team of researchers said this was a systemic issue beyond one farmer, retailer or restaurant. "The USDA should establish a rigorous verification system to ensure that RWA claims are truthful and accurate, or they should cease approving these labels," they wrote in the study. "For meaningful verification, the USDA should conduct or require continuous, on-site empirical testing for antibiotics on a meaningful number of animals from every lot delivered for processing." How factory farms help create antibiotic resistant superbugs Animals Australia 24,310 views Oct 15, 2020 #antibiotics #superbugs The rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria, or superbugs, has got many of the world’s leading public health organisations very worried. And while antibiotic resistance can be partially traced back to the medical system, there’s another culprit that many people don’t know about: animals and factory farming. Sources: https://animalsaustralia.org/features... #antibiotics #superbugs Watch more videos: https://www.youtube.com/animalsaustralia Follow Animals Australia on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalsAustr... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalsaust... and Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnimalsAus Key moments View all 19 Comments rongmaw lin Add a comment... Animals Australia Pinned by Animals Australia Animals Australia 2 years ago Please make sure to like this video and subscribe to our channel – and hit that bell to get a notification as soon as a new episode of Deep Dive is released! And let us know in the comments: were you surprised to find out how much of the world’s antibiotics are given to farmed animals? Did you know that factory farming is largely responsible for antibiotic resistance? 10 Reply hot like a parked car hot like a parked car 1 year ago Thank you for helping me with my biology project, and thoroughly explaining good info on how antibiotics affect agriculture! 6 Reply Animals Australia · 1 reply Atticus Finch Atticus Finch 1 year ago This needs to be shared more! Great video! 3 Reply titovalasques titovalasques 2 years ago Just come across your channel and I’m sharing the crap out of your videos! Awesome work! 5 Reply RV19_69 UGGERI LAYA RV19_69 UGGERI LAYA 1 year ago Y didn't YouTube suggested this channel long back ...I really appreciate your work❤️ Ur vedios are different and informative and specially transformative👍🏻 1 Reply Berni V Berni V 2 years ago Thank you for a fascinating and disturbing video. 15 Reply 1 reply Analogue Teapot Analogue Teapot 2 years ago Excellent. 12 Animals Australia Reply Ayo what Ayo what 1 year ago Such good presentation good job ayo 2 Reply Mayte M Mayte M 1 year ago I wish this video had spanish subs, I really want to share it. Reply Amglo Amglo 1 year ago Now our next step is to sue these big companys in overdoss Reply DaY DaY 1 year ago Haven’t seen antibiotic free chicken in woolies...(although lean grass fed beef is there) Reply luke wiebenga luke wiebenga 1 year ago There's alot of talk about antibiotics, what antibiotics specifically? The laws and classification for Australia to the U.S are very different. Reply 1 reply Santos Ventura Santos Ventura 6 months ago I witch that human can feel what the animals are feeling in the slaterhouse Reply alderamin alderamin 1 year ago THANKS Reply Hazel Creek Heritage Farm Hazel Creek Heritage Farm 2 years ago I completely agree with the overuse of antibiotics and it should be stopped. But it does not require us to only eat plant based diets. If you invest in a local farm where regeneration farming practises are being used, rotational pasturing on organic land, there is no need for the animals to live in pain or in confinement, and without the use of antibiotics. Thanx for the video very informative! Climate Change Supporters of intensive farming often ignore the environmental impact—including greenhouse emissions—from the production of vast quantities of grain-based livestock feed You’ve probably heard claims that industrial or intensive livestock farming is the most “environmentally-friendly” way to produce meat–particularly beef. The argument goes like this: Confining many thousands of cattle on dirt feedlots and feeding a grain-based diet (rather than grazing pasture) increases production efficiency. Grain-fed cattle reach slaughter weight quicker than when fed grass or forage, reducing the amount of the key greenhouse gas, methane, that’s emitted per pound of beef produced. Some people claim the only way we can feed the growing global appetite for animal protein–and avoid the potentially catastrophic methane emissions associated with grassfed and grass-finished livestock–is to expand and intensify livestock production. Sounds plausible, right? Greenhouse Gas Emissions Climate Change - FeedlotThe problem is this argument strongly conflicts with the scientific evidence that pasture-based farming systems–especially those involving cattle and sheep–have a far better environmental profile when it comes to total GHG emissions. If you look solely at the direct methane gas emitted by individual cattle during their lifetime, data show that pastured or grassfed cattle produce more of this particular GHG than intensive feedlot cattle systems. Yet proponents of intensive farming conveniently ignore the total GHG emissions associated with intensive beef production–including emissions from the production and transport of vast quantities of grain-based feed consumed by the millions of feedlot cattle each year. It’s now widely accepted that intensive cattle feedlots and other confinement livestock systems are responsible for the vast majority of agriculture’s total GHG emissions. This criticism doesn’t just come from environmental groups. A report from the U.S. National Research Council (USNRC), for example, states that U.S. intensive agriculture is the nation’s largest contributor of the important greenhouse gases, nitrous oxide and methane. Nitrous oxide is the most potent GHG, with the ability to absorb 310 times more heat per molecule than carbon dioxide. One of the biggest sources of nitrous oxide in agriculture is the manufacture and use of nitrogen-based fertilizers. Indeed, the U.S. Energy Information Administration indicates that the majority (87%) of agricultural emissions result from the manufacture and application of nitrogen fertilizer to soils to grow grain, such as corn and soy (the remaining 13% comes from the management of animal waste). Methane is not only released by grassfed or pasture-raised cattle. This key GHG is also produced during the bacterial decomposition of livestock manure where there is no free oxygen present (anaerobic conditions). Research reveals anaerobic conditions are far more likely to occur when large numbers of animals are managed in a confined area and where manure is stored in vast open lagoons, such as cattle feedlots or industrial indoor pig and poultry farms. What’s more, the USNRC states that “manure from animals fed with grain-based, high energy diets is more degradable and has higher methane production potential than manure from animals fed with a roughage diet,” a fact rarely recognized by proponents of industrial farming. Across the world, the rapid expansion of intensive livestock production is also leading to massive deforestation—and the associated carbon dioxide emissions—as forests are cut down and cleared to provide more pasture to graze livestock or grow livestock feed. If we further intensify livestock farming to meet the demand for so-called ‘cheap’ meat, dairy products and eggs, we’ll also need to increase the intensive production of feed grain—most likely fertilizer-hungry, genetically modified soy and corn, resistant to ever-increasing doses of herbicides. Producing more grain will require more artificial fertilizers, meaning increased oil consumption–and increased GHG emissions. We all know this just isn’t an option. TAKE POSITIVE ACTION Climate Change - Grazing Angus AcresPut simply, a shift to pasture-based and grassfed livestock systems would be far better for the planet. Leading researchers now believe that well-managed livestock grazing systems—as advocated by AGW—have a potentially vital role to play in helping to cut global GHG emissions by capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and locking it underground through carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration is a naturally occurring process where CO2 is transferred from the atmosphere into the soil through crop residues and other organic solids. As cattle and other ruminants graze and naturally fertilize pasture, this stimulates grasses to produce more leaves and root mass. As the grass grows, it absorbs more CO2, which is eventually converted through complex biological processes into a stable form of carbon within the soil, where it can remain for centuries (if left undisturbed). If this carbon storage role is taken into account, some researchers found that pasture-raised beef cattle had 15% lower emissions than their feedlot cousins. Accurately quantifying how much soil carbon sequestration contributes is difficult, and it can vary dramatically from place to place. But one thing is for sure: when it comes to climate change, pasture-based or grassfed cattle systems can no longer be disregarded as the less environmentally friendly option. When comparing GHG emissions in industrial and pasture-raised pigs and poultry systems, however, the picture isn’t as clear-cut. Even pasture-raised pigs and chickens need some grain to eat, as these animals cannot obtain all their dietary requirements from pasture alone. Of course, a lot depends on how this grain is produced, how much fertilizer is used and so on. But when you look beyond GHG emissions and start to consider other important issues—such as the impact of industrial farming on animal welfare, environmental pollution and human health—the benefits of pasture-based systems for all livestock species become much clearer. How factory farms help create antibiotic resistant superbugs Animals Australia 39.8K subscribers 24,310 views Oct 15, 2020 #antibiotics #superbugs The rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria, or superbugs, has got many of the world’s leading public health organisations very worried. And while antibiotic resistance can be partially traced back to the medical system, there’s another culprit that many people don’t know about: animals and factory farming. Sources: https://animalsaustralia.org/features... #antibiotics #superbugs Watch more videos: https://www.youtube.com/animalsaustralia Follow Animals Australia on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalsAustr... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalsaust... and Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnimalsAus Key moments View all 19 Comments rongmaw lin Add a comment... Animals Australia Pinned by Animals Australia Animals Australia 2 years ago Please make sure to like this video and subscribe to our channel – and hit that bell to get a notification as soon as a new episode of Deep Dive is released! And let us know in the comments: were you surprised to find out how much of the world’s antibiotics are given to farmed animals? Did you know that factory farming is largely responsible for antibiotic resistance? 10 Reply hot like a parked car hot like a parked car 1 year ago Thank you for helping me with my biology project, and thoroughly explaining good info on how antibiotics affect agriculture! 6 Reply Animals Australia · 1 reply Atticus Finch Atticus Finch 1 year ago This needs to be shared more! Great video! 3 Reply titovalasques titovalasques 2 years ago Just come across your channel and I’m sharing the crap out of your videos! Awesome work! 5 Reply RV19_69 UGGERI LAYA RV19_69 UGGERI LAYA 1 year ago Y didn't YouTube suggested this channel long back ...I really appreciate your work❤️ Ur vedios are different and informative and specially transformative👍🏻 1 Reply Berni V Berni V 2 years ago Thank you for a fascinating and disturbing video. 15 Reply 1 reply Analogue Teapot Analogue Teapot 2 years ago Excellent. 12 Animals Australia Reply Ayo what Ayo what 1 year ago Such good presentation good job ayo 2 Reply Mayte M Mayte M 1 year ago I wish this video had spanish subs, I really want to share it. Reply Amglo Amglo 1 year ago Now our next step is to sue these big companys in overdoss Reply DaY DaY 1 year ago Haven’t seen antibiotic free chicken in woolies...(although lean grass fed beef is there) Reply luke wiebenga luke wiebenga 1 year ago There's alot of talk about antibiotics, what antibiotics specifically? The laws and classification for Australia to the U.S are very different. Reply 1 reply Santos Ventura Santos Ventura 6 months ago I witch that human can feel what the animals are feeling in the slaterhouse Reply alderamin alderamin 1 year ago THANKS Reply Hazel Creek Heritage Farm Hazel Creek Heritage Farm 2 years ago I completely agree with the overuse of antibiotics and it should be stopped. But it does not require us to only eat plant based diets. If you invest in a local farm where regeneration farming practises are being used, rotational pasturing on organic land, there is no need for the animals to live in pain or in confinement, and without the use of antibiotics. Thanx for the video very informative! 7 Reply Tackling ‘rational’ antibiotic use in agriculture to slow the spread of antimicrobial resistance HOME TACKLING ‘RATIONAL’ ANTIBIOTIC USE IN AGRICULTURE TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE Posted on: 06 Apr 2022 Countries Uganda ILRI Programs Animal and human health ILRI NEWS Original blog post by Ivo Syndicus Recent findings by the One Health Poultry Hub were discussed at an international workshop in Uganda, and support an integrated antibiotic stewardship framework which understands why farmers make the decisions they do. A major challenge for tackling excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics in agriculture is understanding and addressing how these drugs are accessed. The sale of antibiotics is often insufficiently regulated and existing restrictions may just as well be hard to enforce. This is especially the case in places with limited healthcare and veterinary services where people rely on informal providers. Operators of drug stores and other informal providers that are not supposed to sell antibiotics are less likely to know about appropriate use of antibiotics and the risks and dangers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Similarly, farmers can easily see the apparent benefits of using antibiotics – for treatment, prophylaxis or growth promotion in their livestock – but are often unaware of the risks. The combination of easy access to antibiotics and limited knowledge of providers and farmers of the associated risks has normalised antibiotics use and creates the perfect conditions to breed antimicrobial resistance. This is of critical importance because a major concern for the increase of AMR is the use of antibiotics in agriculture. The World Health Organization has declared AMR as one the top 10 global public health threats. Workshop findings from Uganda: • Veterinary drug stores sell several supplementary vitamin products for poultry that contain antibiotics. Some of these products contain colistin, a last-resort antibiotic in human medicine whose ban in feed additives is urgently called for following the emergence of resistance in food animals. • While veterinary drug stores are concentrated in towns, more rural locations tend to only have smaller human drug stores. These do not stock veterinary products and are neither supposed to sell antibiotics (a service formally limited to pharmacies). They do, however, frequently sell antibiotics ‘under the counter’ (i.e., informally). Further, farmers do purchase these antibiotics to treat their livestock (a form of off-label ‘crossover-use’). Delegates reported that similar practices were commonly seen in other countries too. Read the full blog post here… The AMR component under the ILRI-led project “Boosting Uganda’s Investment in Livestock Development” (BUILD) contributed to the workshop by presenting findings and observations from their work in the Ugandan poultry value chain. These findings align with the observations made by the One Health Poultry Hub. The BUILD project has just completed a cross-sectional study at 400 poultry farms in peri-urban Wakiso and rural Soroti in Uganda, using a data collection tool on antimicrobial use in livestock production (AMUSE) and collecting samples to assess dimensions of AMR in the farms in selected bacteria, namely Enterococcus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella species. Preliminary findings show that antimicrobial use is higher in the rural areas, which was a surprising result. In rural Soroti, farmers heavily rely on human drugs because veterinarians and agrovet stores are not accessible. In the absence of access to proper veterinary services (KAP study VSFG), poultry farmers also learn a lot by mimicking neighboring farms, and learning by trial-and-error. This also makes them vulnerable to fraudulent practices such as the purchase of fake vaccines and leaves them frustrated when their chickens still die of Newcastle disease. As a result they use antibiotics and other drugs which they perceive to be effective in humans, so they must be working in their animals too. Previous work in Uganda found, for instance, that pig and poultry farmers use antiretrovirals - which are normally used to treat peopel living with HIV– because they feel; “if these drugs cure HIV, they must be effective in protecting our animals from African swine fever and Newcastle disease”. On top of it, they seem to have a growth promoting effect (Ndoboli et al., 2021). Watch a video on AMR attitudes, knowledge and practices in Ugandan society by BUILD partner Vétérinaires Sans Frontières - Germany (VSF-G). The Antibiotic Apocalypse Explained 8,170,489 views Mar 16, 2016 What is the Antibiotic Apocalypse? What is it all about? And how dangerous is it? 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Shop the Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell store 12,023 Human Era Calendar (Limited Edition) $17.90 the kurzgesagt shop Starry Night Poster (Glow in the Dark) $24.90 the kurzgesagt shop Back to Earth Poster – Shiny Foil Art Print $24.90 the kurzgesagt shop To the Moon Poster – Shiny Foil Art Print $24.90 the kurzgesagt shop Human Perspective World Map Poster $24.90 the kurzgesagt shop Ocean Explorer Notebook $12.90 the kurzgesagt shop 14,508 Comments rongmaw lin Add a comment... Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell Pinned by Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell 4 years ago (edited) You want to learn more about science? Check out our sciency products on the kurzgesagt shop – all designed with love and produced with care. Getting something from the kurzgesagt shop is the best way to support us and to keep our videos free for everyone. ►► http://kgs.link/science (Worldwide Shipping Available) 1.2K Reply 36 replies Faris Abuain Faris Abuain 2 years ago “By building the modern world, we have also built the infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic”— how right you were 7.5K Reply 113 replies Mauren Mauren 3 years ago I love how sometimes they have a polite sounding anger for humanity 2.3K Reply 14 replies JP JP 2 years ago When my ex, a medical resident, didn't finish her antibiotic regimen, I was a bit mad at her for being a hypocrite. She even told me she knew why you're supposed to finish it, but told me that she didn't feel like it and she said the chances of her body breeding a superbug is very low. Many people think like that, that's why we have MDROs in the first place. Don't randomly take antibiotics unless you have to, and if you take them, finish all of it. Leave no survivors, otherwise they may come back and haunt you. 894 Reply 29 replies darexinfinity darexinfinity 1 year ago Kurzgesagt: "If humanity plays its card right..." Covid: "Good thing that won't happen." 813 Reply 21 replies Nikhil R. Nikhil R. 2 years ago (edited) “We have made the perfect infrastructure for a worldwide pandemic” - Kurzgesagt 2020: Yes we have. 1.1K Reply 7 replies fruity fruity 1 year ago "if humanity plays its cards right" humanity: is able to predict a potential for a worldwide pandemic years in advance and still getting completely off guard by it 101 Reply 2 replies JerenVids JerenVids 6 years ago Schools should show these videos, they are really well done and teach a lot. 13K Reply 294 replies Logan Logan 5 years ago I can vouch for this. I’m an ER-based paramedic. Almost every kid and most adults with a scratchy throat, cough, or low-grade fever gets an antibiotic and gets sent on their way. Antibiotics are given out like candy and very little, if anything, is being done to stop it from happening. 114 Reply 5 replies Solomon Aerospace Solomon Aerospace 2 years ago "We have built the infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic." Well that's aged well. 288 Reply 2 replies bcaprari bcaprari 1 year ago When I was studying to be a medical lab technician, I took clinical microbiology and learned all about antibiotic resistance. Most people have heard of MRSA (methicillin resistant staph aureus) but there have been a few reported cases now of VRSA (vancomycin resistant staph aureus) which is uh... pretty terrifying, since vancomycin is still the strongest antibiotic we have against staph aureus species. Anyway, pleasant dreams! 29 Reply 1 reply Thomas Brenner Thomas Brenner 2 years ago I'm a huge fan of this channel, and I appreciate them trying to end on a positive note, but we aren't finding more (usable) antibiotics anymore. Thankfully bacteriophages look hopeful - and they have since made a fantastic video about those too :) 58 Reply 1 reply WalkingBlock WalkingBlock 1 year ago 2021: Narrater: we don’t need to panic just yet! (Then you realize this video was made 6 years ago) 347 Reply 3 replies Oettam713 Oettam713 2 years ago (edited) "We have also built the infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic" 2020: surprise surprise 2.8K Reply 28 replies callistinea callistinea 5 years ago This is becoming so true. I'm a doctor currently working in Plastic surgery in a public tertiary hospital in a developed nation. Recently, so many patients have been coming in with MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) from young 15 year olds to the elderly. It's ridiculous. 5 Reply Maram * Maram * 4 years ago I watched hundreds of videos and I can tell this channel is the only one who include latest researches and theories in their videos … thank you again for making this so interesting !! 2 Reply Antonina Ego Antonina Ego 1 year ago Kurzgesagt 2015: We don't need to panic just yet... Me 2020: Can we panic now? 47 Reply Arik Cool Arik Cool 1 year ago Shocking! Everything they said has been true just after 5 years, This tells as about their accuracy and amount of effort put to research and estimations to make videos and still free for all of us! 7 Reply Nathaniel Swanson Nathaniel Swanson 1 year ago "By building the modern world, we have also built the infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic. Still, we don't need to panic just yet." That aged like milk. 10 Reply eugeniak eugeniak 2 years ago (edited) -You are a bacterium, Harry. - I am a WhAT? 1.9K Reply 22 replies Servals Servals 5 years ago It pisses me off when people I know go to the doctor with a common cold. First of all, it's just a cold. I think you can handle it. Secondly, it's a virus so there's nothing the doctor can do anyway except treat the symptoms. It disgusts me how doctors just dish out antibiotics for young, healthy people who have a little bit of a cough or a sniffle, especially since they should know better. 74 Reply 13 replies Synthwave the toaster 💿💜 Synthwave the toaster 💿💜 2 years ago "The perfect breeding ground for a illness" Corona:I'll take your entire stock 182 Reply 3 replies bluestrife28 bluestrife28 1 year ago I want this guy to be the narrator for everything in life. He’s got that Richard Attenborough way of speaking so precisely but with vigor and excitement. Spared no expense :P 3 Reply M M 4 years ago China: “Colistin is a last-resort antibiotic” Also China: “Let’s give Colistin to all our millions of pigs that aren’t even sick” 298 Reply 16 replies UglyApprentice UglyApprentice 1 year ago What bothers me most are the people who ask for antibiotics when they have a viral infection 4 Reply U Fatema V U Fatema V 2 years ago 2015: scary news from china 2020: you dont say 5.7K Reply 59 replies Meika Ahn Meika Ahn 5 years ago Love this video!!!! This is exactly what I learned in my antibiotic class. I hope this information gets spread to avoid unnecessary overuse of antibiotics and that with doing so we can minimize the risk of creating antibiotic-resistant pathogen. 2 Reply Mithi Roy Mithi Roy 3 years ago i love watching all of Kurzgesagt's videos- they are informative and extremely interactive! Reply Triange Triange 1 year ago “No need to panic yet” 2020: exists “Okay now you can panic” 28 Reply 1 reply Carter Adams Carter Adams 2 years ago 5:19 "still, we don't need to panic just yet" YES. YES WE DO. 929 Reply 44 replies Edward Shaw Edward Shaw 5 months ago First, I think the "In a Nutshell" videos are great! It may be a bit of a small detail, bit using the word "immune" when refereeing to a bacteria that is "resistant" to an antibiotic may be a little confusing at times for those not immersed in this. The "immune" lingo is also used when referring to peoples immune systems and the development of immunity based on prior exposure etc.... Just something to keep in mind. Again, I really like the videos and the Immune book as well. Reply Derium's Pokemon Derium's Pokemon 6 years ago "If humanity plays its cards right"... Welp, we are screwed. 7.3K Reply 103 replies I like music I like music 5 years ago I LOVE how you always make these kinds of videos very dark but give them a sort of happy ending :) 1 Reply Drbigt let's plays Drbigt let's plays 3 years ago Kurzgesagt: 2016: If humanity plays our cards right, we'll be fine. 2018: (in the deadliest being video) We screwed up. 27 Reply mekman4 mekman4 1 year ago Post COVID, this video is fantastic! Also, yes. Fast food is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. I’ve been sick so often due to being surrounded by and consuming fast food. It never fails. I eat domino’s or a cookie or something similarly GMO, and I get ill. I avoid it and I stay well for long periods of time. I’m glad you didn’t shy away from that, there are so many lies out there, especially from the FDA which is in the pocket of food and drug companies. It’s difficult to sell lies when people do get ill off of those kinds of foods and you see that fact confirmed, right here in this old video. Great Stuff! Reply 1 reply WizzDom WizzDom 4 years ago Watching this video and countless others, Kurzgesagt probably taught me more of what I need to learn than lessons in the Grade 7 & 8. I can see a generation learning what they need to know by just browsing education videos. Reply Apple Red Apple Red 11 months ago Quite interesting! I really like your vids. Just an idea but why not make a counter video with immune-supressents? Reply Advanced Being Advanced Being 2 years ago Bacteria: enters body Bacteriophage: You have five seconds to run 852 Reply 15 replies Dan Stilo Dan Stilo 4 years ago Thank you for talking about animal agriculture as one of the major contributor to antibiotic resistance! Too often it is a problem that is ignored! 3 Reply Marcy Raven Marcy Raven 5 years ago Antibiotics are expensive though, like 36 DNA points in like 3 minutes in mega brutal 247 Reply 6 replies Feynstein 100 Feynstein 100 2 years ago 4:39 Colistin was so powerful that it cured even the sick birds in the paintings. 77 Reply 3 replies ian ian 1 year ago It's almost like Kurzgesagt saw into the future, specifically the year 2020. 9 Reply 1 reply ImagineBaggins ImagineBaggins 6 years ago Grant from the Gates Foundation? About damn time! ;) These videos are so well-written and animated, and they discuss very important topics. Speaking of which, an interesting topic that isn't known very well is the Alternative Voting (AV) system. It is far superior to the First Past the Post voting system virtually the entire world uses, and I think a video on that topic would be interesting! 19 Reply 1 reply SalvorHardin SalvorHardin 4 years ago Very nice and well explained cellular biology content And I loved the protein models Reply CandyApp1e Red CandyApp1e Red 4 years ago My science teacher showed us this in class. Sent all those normies into an existential crisis 127 Reply 1 reply TheLazySamurai TheLazySamurai 1 year ago Thats a lot of info packed into such a small amount of time, and yet still retains attention well. I'm enjoying this channel, the more I watch it. Though this video's pricing aged poorly, as a burger is like $5 now, and its only been 5 years :S 1 Reply J Haley J Haley 3 years ago (edited) Thank you for enormous and useful information! Without being noticed, we face lots of bacteria which is developed by antibiotic human made Reply PraetorJaeger PraetorJaeger 1 year ago We can all agree this video hits different for those of us living in the present day 1 Reply JustThatLuka JustThatLuka 6 years ago If Superbugs occur we can use batbugs to take them down 2.7K Reply 73 replies Asellus Asellus 4 years ago I was a bit confused by the optimism at the end of the video. Last I heard, there have not been adequate developments of new antibiotics to keep up with the increase of superbugs. I’ve heard dire predictions from international bodies that we may live in a world without antibiotics within this century. Could someone shed light? 14 Reply 2 replies Zawiya A Zawiya A 2 years ago This video literally predicted the future. While it's talking about bacteria and we're facing a virus, it's still kinda freaky 3 Reply Matheen MohamedMowjoon Matheen MohamedMowjoon 1 month ago But how do bacteria gain resistance to antibiotics in the first place? I get that they can spread immunity of antibiotics to other bacteria by transferring DNA . But but how does the first bacteria become resistant? Is it because they mutate and the antibiotics become useless? Or is it something else? Reply 2 replies Oliver Gray-Read Oliver Gray-Read 5 years ago I live in Cambodia, a developing country. Here cheap a whole range of anti-biotics are available at small pharmacies and are taken constantly by people for any kind of slight illness, with the course discontinued the moment symptoms ease up 😐 Reply Persona22 Persona22 1 year ago By being able to see a pandemic coming from a mile away and still being caught off guard when it hit and fumbling the ball at every oportunity shows how stupid we are as a species. 26 Reply 2 replies Mega Mega 6 years ago (edited) I'll just go to Greenland, that place never gets infected. Edit: That one didn't age quite so well.. 6.5K Reply 204 replies Nekokonneko Nekokonneko 4 years ago Your videos are awesome ! Please dont stop it we need more this kind of information 👍 Reply Olivia Olivia 2 years ago Thank you for addressing the meat antibiotic industry! Majority of videos won’t go over that information! 2 Reply Daniel Stonier Daniel Stonier 10 months ago Nicely done. Unfortunately I am a little hesitant to use this video with high school students due to the terminology used regarding bacteria becoming immune and bacteria passing on immunity. This will certainly cause students who repeat it in an exam to marked incorrect. Shame because it is an entertaining and well put together video. Reply Watcher Dude Watcher Dude 3 years ago You are menaging to create a video where we not just learn new things,but you also animate pictures that aline to your story perfectly.It's a cartoon for students and I wish teachers show these on class instead of babling what we are not interested in Reply bunch of atoms bunch of atoms 1 year ago Dear Kurzgesagt, keep making videos like this and soon there will be videos about you predicting future Reply Rose Luman Rose Luman 3 years ago Kurzgesagt: What would you say if humanity is trying to kill us all? Me: Not surprised 1.3K Reply 6 replies tran le nam phuong tran le nam phuong 3 years ago The more I watch this show, the more I question my survival 😨 Reply Yaoi Eonni Yaoi Eonni 5 years ago I love this so much and this is helping me a lot with my science test. Reply I Will Post Anything I Will Post Anything 1 year ago Man you have a video on everything. I just commented on your immune system video how it would be interesting to see effects of antibiotics on immune system and I get this in recommended a day later. Reply hongchuan wang hongchuan wang 3 years ago Have you guys found out that whenever kurzgesagt makes a truly depressing video they change the intro Bacteria: sad music Dyson sphere: G R O O V I N 77 Reply 3 replies pixelletickle pixelletickle 1 year ago Super MDROs are seen in patients on the regular at work, they even colonize hospital infrastructure (med. lab tech). Still wondering when the alarms will be raised 🤔🤷‍♀️ Honestly getting a super MDRO infection in a hospital is one of my top fears. Reply Utkarsh Aryan Utkarsh Aryan 4 years ago "If humanity played its cards right........." WE ARE SCREWED 2.1K Reply 16 replies PinoyAkoPh PinoyAkoPh 5 years ago Thank you microbiology for teaching me about these things ❤️❤️ Reply Soph Soph 2 years ago @Kurzesagt Thanks for making this video, you realy helped me and my friends with our school-work! :) Reply vibing potato vibing potato 2 years ago "by creating the modern world, we have also created a perfect breeding ground for a pamdemic" sigh i miss the days where that word was only in videos 53 Reply 1 reply Skelzore Skelzore 4 years ago I don't know why I was surprised to hear you say that people take antibiotics for something like a cold. Then you said they're to be used as last resort or specific things. It seems so obvious to me and plenty of others, idk why it's so hard to get things like this to become obvious knowledge. 1 Reply Han Kıyıcı Han Kıyıcı 9 months ago "We don't have to panic just yet". Well... that didn't age well... 3 Reply Axel Emil Raith Axel Emil Raith 6 years ago The ending telling us to not panic and giving us a good relaxing reason is amazing. I personally get paranoid easily and the ending bit made me feel safe thank you 7 Reply James Highcock James Highcock 3 years ago This video is so important for people to see! Instead of certain pointless ads on youtube this should be played to spread awareness Reply bernd v. liemt bernd v. liemt 4 years ago Could you make a video about bacteriophages? It might help educate the world about alternatives to antibiotics Reply Christian Araujo Christian Araujo 8 months ago thank you for scaring me and then telling me we got this. great video, very educational Reply Noor Croon Noor Croon 2 years ago Hi! Great video, thank you. Do you have a link to your information sources for this video? I have a project in school about antibiotic resistance, so it’d be really useful for me. Thanks! Reply 2 replies Human Errer Human Errer 1 month ago I’m pretty sure I have superbugs in my neck. The doctors call it “folliculitis”, and it regularly gets inflamed to become large abscesses that are very painful. No antibiotics have gotten rid of it. Sweet. Reply That's Rich That's Rich 6 years ago I was thinking really hard about going into medical research, and this video may have given me that push to do so. 8 Reply General Violet General Violet 5 years ago i have been watching rhis channel for about a day now and i realize there is so little we need to actually have a freak out party over! Reply SeedStun SeedStun 2 years ago "We have also built the infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic." Relatable 38 Reply James Uduanu James Uduanu 1 year ago Bacteria has two kinds of DNA, the chromosone and plasmids. They can hug each other to exchange those plasids, to exchange useful abilities. That way, immunity could be spread quickly through a population. 4 Reply 1 reply reuban rajan reuban rajan 1 year ago Well, this aged really well! 5 Reply Tom Nash Tom Nash 1 year ago Kurzgesagt: "We have built the perfect infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic" Covid-19: "So I just started blasting..." 2 Reply Andrew Tickel Andrew Tickel 6 years ago This is the one time I wanted Voldebug to kill Harry Plaguer 1.2K Reply 10 replies Dear FutureMe Dear FutureMe 3 years ago These videos are really helpful for my GCSE science course.. thank you!! Reply Sleepy Dino Sleepy Dino 1 year ago 'Don't panic yet.' Oh Kurzgesagt, if only you knew what was to come. 1 Reply Risky Business Risky Business 1 year ago Well this one has aged fairly well! 1 Reply Doge Gotfamus Doge Gotfamus 4 years ago 1:05 please make more immune system featuring our heroic (and naive) immune system. I miss them so much 1 Reply Akshay Patel Akshay Patel 2 years ago “... built the infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic” CHILLS 9 Reply Fisher Fisher 5 years ago Thank god for the consistent uplifting endings on these videos because without them I'd have a nervous breakdown after every one 458 Reply 9 replies Jonas Hofmann Jonas Hofmann 2 years ago Can't wait to see part 2 of the Corona Pandemic, but this time with superbugs 2 Reply Soe Min Wai Yan Soe Min Wai Yan 1 year ago (edited) Any method to counteract the superbugs? Heard about using bacteriophages in multiple antibiotic-resistance bacterial infection and also the upcoming modified CRISPR-cas-9 techniques. But I don’t know if the scientists have developed those kind of treatments. Reply Lentis Lentis 2 years ago I never thought i would feel so sorry for bacteria Reply lords of ambrosia lords of ambrosia 1 year ago love sitting here watching this during an international pandemic 👍 1 Reply NB Boxhead NB Boxhead 3 weeks ago One thing about superbugs (and normal-ish-enough diseases like one in particular around now) is that if they kill their hosts, the hosts in most situations lose the ability to infect others, and also any way to provide sustenance to the disease. This means that diseases that kill less people do better than diseases with higher fatality rates, (as long as that is the only separating factor) inclining natural selection to keep the less fatal diseases over time. Reply 1 reply Fox Fox 6 years ago I freaking love the artworks in this video. Good job to the artists! 7 Reply Stian Fragått Stian Fragått 1 year ago I'm doing a school project on antibiotics. This video helped a lot! Reply Der Meister Der Meister 5 years ago that harry potter bacteria just killed me ... i couldn't stop laughing at that scene ! great video, very well done !!! Reply thekittycat can thekittycat can 1 year ago I'had a intersting discussion with a friend And i want to know its possible that a bacteria that rend us inconscius gain the ability to make us want to spread the desease more rapidly (like a tendency of violence) or other thing? Reply Gnosis7 Gnosis7 2 years ago Fantastic video! Two simple takeaways to prevent the emergence of super-bugs: 1. Only use antibiotics if you absolutely need it! Antibiotics do not help if you have a cold or a flu. Those are viral illnesses. 2. Reduce meat intake or buy from healthy farms that don't use antibiotics. 9 Reply Subharup Chakraborty Subharup Chakraborty 1 year ago Kurzgesagt : Still we dont need to panic just yet... 2020 : ....okay.... 2 Reply Timothy Johnson Timothy Johnson 3 years ago Me: "Why did that one bacteria that survived wear glasses and have a lightning bolt scar?" Also Me: "OMG IT'S THE BACTERIA WHO LIVED!!!" 1.4K Reply 28 replies Amjad Mahmudi Amjad Mahmudi 2 years ago Make a video about bone pain in old age .. What are the reasons? And what are the ways to treat it? Tell us about the progress in this field. It is really a big problem for every elderly person, for himself and for those around him. Reply 1 reply robbobb robbobb 5 years ago 5:40 that smile was so reassuring. I was a little bit worried about the "super bacteria" but the that smile made me feel good Reply Noah Guyver Noah Guyver 5 months ago Watching this post-COVID. It sure did make virus spread easy. 2 Reply Вячеслав Анатольевич Волков Вячеслав Анатольевич Волков 2 years ago Вы делаете крайне красивые, красочные и познавательные видео. Спасибо. Приятно смотреть. Reply MormonDude MormonDude 1 year ago I think this is also kind of glossing over the fact that some disinfectant materials, like ammonia, bleach, etc, really can't be resisted against since they attack pretty much all pathogens on multiple levels at once and attack the fundamental building blocks of those pathogens. Reply 2 replies GirtheAlienGoldfish GirtheAlienGoldfish 6 years ago You don't understand the sheer agony that a bacteria can rain down upon your miserable existence until you've had food poisoning. 116 Reply 9 replies dotNask dotNask 4 years ago I have only used antibiotics once. I use the method sleep a lot and tea. The bad illnesses are mostly gone. Reply D S D S 5 years ago (edited) As a budding doctor I always advice people not to abuse antibiotics! most semi-educated people in our country start a course of antibiotic on their own and in a couple of days as they no longer have symptoms stop the antibiotics randomly. this is not only dangerous to themselves but also to the world as it is like training the bacteria to develop resistance to these antibiotics... so if you are reading this comment please make sure to advice the people you know, that even if you are taking antibiotics on your own without visiting a doctor, never stop it mid course!! Have a good day 😊 Reply young roller young roller 1 year ago 5:13 : We don't have to panic 2020 : Allow me to introduce myself 10 Reply Felix Johnson Felix Johnson 5 years ago My biology teacher shows this video to introduce a unit to us this year. Great job! Reply Socks42 Socks42 8 months ago 1:17 I love how the text on the top changed from "inside a bacteria"to "inside a bacterio" and then "inside a bacterium" Reply poke poke 6 years ago I definitely like the positive thinking at the end, really lifts your spirit after the idea of a pandemic killing millions. 9 Reply Tim Rettenmaier Tim Rettenmaier 4 years ago Man versteht halt einfach was der sagt echt gut erklärt 👌 Reply wanders off doodling wanders off doodling 5 years ago this is a lot scarier than the how the universe ends video 43 Reply 3 replies Lloyd Davies Lloyd Davies 1 year ago ‘By creating the modern world, we have also built the infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic.... StIlL wE dOn’t NeEd To PaNiCk JuSt YeT !?’ Famous last words 2 Reply Firdavs Omonov Firdavs Omonov 2 years ago I love the way they frighten people to be extincted but then saying "Never mind" Reply Thunder Cookie Thunder Cookie 1 year ago "you're superbug Harry" "Im a what?" Volderbiotics 59 Reply 1 reply Werido I RM800 Werido I RM800 2 years ago (edited) 2015 : "Scary news from China" 2020 : "No sh*t, really?" 2.2K Reply 66 replies Dr. π Dr. π 2 years ago Ohhhh, four years ago was such an innocent time. 81 Reply Naveen Roy Naveen Roy 2 years ago And now here we are staying in house to be safe from an ongoing pandamic 😔 Reply Muhammad Taib Khan Muhammad Taib Khan 1 year ago So true. I couldn't believe that you guys predict these things 5 years ago 1 Reply Thot Destroyer Thot Destroyer 5 years ago This guy is educating me while making me watch video games Reply ester uwu ester uwu 4 weeks ago I was treated with antibiotics as a child when I almost died from pneumonia. I’m studying to be a nurse now and just found out the bacteria that infected me as a child is now resistant to the antibiotics i was given to treat it. antibiotics resistance is terrifying. without antibiotics i would be dead now. Reply விஷ்ணு கார்த்திக் விஷ்ணு கார்த்திக் 6 years ago Looks like bacteria took the "what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger!" thing to heart. 7 Reply Brandon Maves Brandon Maves 5 years ago you are one of my main source of knowledge. thank you so much. Reply Chloé Geldhof Chloé Geldhof 5 years ago With every video, i love your channel even more, wow. Reply Firenzar Frenzy Firenzar Frenzy 1 year ago "We have also built the infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic" - KGS 2016 4 Reply 1 reply Shea and Sydney Shea and Sydney 2 years ago Hello, My name is Shea Grigg and I am a Journalism student at Harlow College and I was hoping I could talk to you about your video (this one and anymore that you have done) on disease apocalypse. Basically, I am doing a magazine project and my theme is Apocalypse and I was looking for information on pandemic apocalypse. I understand that I have your video for reference, but I’d love some personal quotes from you. If you could get back to me, that would be amazing. I wish you a good week Kind Regards Reply x Critical Strike x x Critical Strike x 1 year ago "still, we don't need to panic just yet." Almost feel like this aged kinda badly hahaha 1 Reply Forever_Rayne Forever_Rayne 6 years ago Antibiotic use for minor illnesses like common colds or viral fevers are a dangerous practice. It contributes to development of drug resistance, but some doctors prescribe them because they get benefits. Our teachers in med school warned us about prescribing antibiotics for minor ailments. Also, another practice that's causing drug resistance to build is people buying meds directly from pharmacies without consulting a doctor. It's a normal thing in my town and that worries me. 70 Reply 15 replies TheLetterB123 TheLetterB123 1 year ago "Still we do t need to panic just yet." Aged like milk. 1 Reply Luis Fernando Vazquez Luis Fernando Vazquez 3 years ago In light of the current events unfolding, I just came by to ask for the epidemic and/or pandemic video. Thank you very much. Reply tHe bEsT Of aLL tHe bEsT Of aLL 1 year ago Kurzgesagt's prediction came true!! Watching this video after the world's biggest pandemic COVID-19..... 2 Reply Bysentenial Bysentenial 5 years ago I heard something that antibiotics would run out [all ne basically immune to by bug] within our lifetime. Then a few years ago I heard they'd made a new type of antibiotic that was different to current ones that should last a few hundred years. No idea if any of that is true. Reply 1 reply Locosalmando2247 Locosalmando2247 1 month ago how... was this a prediction omg Reply 1 reply ChocolateMilkMage ChocolateMilkMage 6 years ago Did you guys hear that? Madagascar just shut down it's airports and sea ports. 3.1K Reply 100 replies Sanjit Sounderrajan Sanjit Sounderrajan 2 years ago (edited) Did anyone else remember this video when covid made news? 5:20 “we don’t need to panic just yet” I think seeing the spread of covid is a good time to panic. 4 Reply 1 reply jijinho jijinho 1 year ago "still we don't have to panic just yet" last famous words lol 1 Reply D Flatt D Flatt 1 year ago Kurz: "over crowded and unhealthy environment" (in reference to modern farming methods) Also Kurz: "blah, blah, super virus in China ..." Yeah. 4 Reply Brata Pearl Brata Pearl 5 years ago i have watch ypur videos and it's very great. I'm a medical student myself, and it's really helpful for me to understand the material easily Reply Orange Wasif Orange Wasif 1 year ago Damn, this was some dangerous foreshadowing 1 Reply Conservative liberal Conservative liberal 6 years ago I thought they were making the superbug on purpose 212 Reply 33 replies Mijuna Blue Mijuna Blue 4 years ago Haha "they hug each other" we are learning bacterial conjunction now and this made my day Reply Theressa Bagnall Theressa Bagnall 4 years ago I agree with there thoughts on the evilotion of medicin. 3 years ago I started taking ADHD medication there were only 10 comon kinds I could take with simpel effects now I can take 20x that number and there are more effective kinds of medicationof helping me control my hiper activity witch helps me in school to pay attention. i'm not trying to share my life story but what I mean is medicin is geting more affective every day to fight disease. Reply Kevin Karani Kevin Karani 5 months ago You predicted Pandemic very well. And it happened. Reply Tejas Shihora Tejas Shihora 2 years ago Very Well described thank you for the information Reply marianna marianna 3 months ago This aged well 3 Reply Luma Sloth Luma Sloth 2 years ago It's fun to see all the comments after Corona. 4.2K Reply 83 replies mai den mai den 2 years ago (edited) "By creating the modern world, we have also built the infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic." Me, watching in 2020: Oh, you don't say. 5 Reply Marcin Skrobański Marcin Skrobański 4 years ago (edited) the amout and quality of pop-culture references in those vids is just awesome! Big regards for the creators! Reply Andrew Paderna Official Andrew Paderna Official 2 years ago wow... this is what i want to tell to my friends that bacteria is also evolving... Reply Ronak Mahajan Ronak Mahajan 2 years ago Superbug : I am immune to antibiotics! Bacteriophage: Hold my beer! Reply Sabrina Sabrina 1 year ago I was waiting for a solution or a glimpse of hope for the whole video lol its kinda scary tbh 1 Reply ArgentOrangeOK ArgentOrangeOK 6 years ago I couldn't have given a crap about antibiotics in meat until I saw this. Although overuse in humans is something I've believed for quite some time, I'd never really considered its overuse in our food sources for some reason. Probably going to have to make a change now. Thank you for the added perspective. 6 Reply Rajveer Singh Rajveer Singh 2 years ago 2015: Still, we dont need to worry just yet.If humanity plays its cards right, superbugs might turn out to be not so super. 2020: Bonjour 7 Reply Ben Brooks Ben Brooks 2 years ago Kurzegast: Still, we don’t need to panic just yet People in 2020: Panik 12 Reply Lorenzo Esposito Lorenzo Esposito 1 year ago 5:33 “the problem is real, but the fight is far from over” 1 Reply Computer Science Basics Computer Science Basics 5 years ago Well, a sythetetic bacteria was just made today ! Nice ! 7 Reply Daniel Villalba Daniel Villalba 2 months ago The answer...bacteriophages...probably. Reply NiceMarkMC NiceMarkMC 6 years ago Awesome video, very informative! :) So when can we expect this to be shown at schools? Speaking of school, I think a video covering the effectiveness of the current system of education and whether it should be changed would be nice :) I'm not sure how it is in other countries, but in mine I feel like there's too much useless information and too much time wasted. I don't think I remember anything from school or I don't use it and I used to be a good pupil. 8 Reply 2 replies M P M P 2 years ago "What if we told you that humanity is making a collaborative effort to engineer the perfect superbug?" COVID in a Nutshell 👌🏻 3 Reply 3 replies enVtine enVtine 4 years ago (edited) A better way of learning than a 45min class with popcorn reading tbh Reply Account that I'll use to comment Account that I'll use to comment 1 year ago "Still we dont need to panic just yet" Okay, can we panic now? Reply Bluemarine Bluemarine 4 years ago If he didn’t add the last min to this video giving me hope, I would have been so scared of the future of superbugs lol Reply Evil Seagill Evil Seagill 1 year ago They predicted the future Here we are in a pandemic 2 Reply Stealth Approach Stealth Approach 6 years ago kurzgesagt: the only conspiracy I listen to 449 Reply 24 replies famalam famalam 3 years ago I love your videos, I learn so much from your channel please upload more 1 Reply Zındık Biri Zındık Biri 2 years ago Kurzgesagt you really are a great channel 💕💕💕 Reply MASTER AL MASTER AL 1 year ago Watching this after pandemic is hilarious 3 Reply 1 reply Simran koirala Simran koirala 3 years ago I love how he just told us all this scary shit and then his tone changed in the last min to say "but don't worry about it, we'll figure something out!" so us humans don't go haywire haha Reply Sol Loser Sol Loser 1 year ago Apparently no one here has read "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy." "Don't Panic" are very wise words to live by. Thank you Ford Prefect and Douglas Adams. 1 Reply 1 reply Dynda Dynda 6 years ago this channel,the quality of the videos,the voice,the topics of the videos,my god this channel is pefect :v 11 Reply Reid Chave Reid Chave 4 years ago Love this video (and all Kurzgesagt content), but this one has one of the most disconcerting endings because the only solution they provided was the optimistic idea that technology will continue to advance. 1 Reply Neil X Neil X 2 years ago Can you please make a video on chemical dialogues during pollen pistil interactions?🙏🙏🙏 Reply a cute dog a cute dog 1 year ago "The fight is far from over". Laughs in pandemic 11 Reply ButterCatG ButterCatG 2 years ago This foreshadowing is so amazing. 1 Reply comfie ruko comfie ruko 1 year ago Kurzgesagt: 'In 2015, we got scary news from China' 2020: Your right. Reply Scritch Scritch 6 years ago Yeah, because humanity is so good at playing its cards right. =| 110 Reply 14 replies Densebrains Densebrains 4 years ago Seriously? I would have thought that the right message to send out to people is to not be comfortable with what is happening now. "If humanity plays it's cards right..." shifts the caution/problem from each individual to a bright and clever scientist somewhere who is or will be responsible for the development of the "new antibiotic". I think an important message to send out here is: "For all patients who are prescribed antibiotics by doctors, they should ensure that they take the Antibiotics at the prescribed time and more importantly they should also FINISH the whole course of Antibiotics prescribed to prevent the survival/escape of the medically resistant strain of bacteria." Everyone has their part to do. Just as what @ELTiEST briefly mentioned. In places with "alternative medicines" available some chant that western medicine is not good for the body, thus patients with little awareness will not finish their course of Antibiotics. As a patient taking both Western and Chinese medicine (depending on the illness) for more than 30 years due to my Eczema and the other problems I get because of it including bacterial infections, I think we all play an important part in this Superbug fight and only together can we stop this from continuing, not just hoping that we can rely on a company or scientist somewhere. Sorry. Since this is an educational video that has been watched by at least 4 Million people, I don't think this message was properly conveyed. 190 Reply 11 replies Ariel Ariel 5 years ago Unfortunately my dad is a person who takes antibiotics the second he has a cold. It was nice knowing you everyone, we're screwed. 😷 Reply Lordimass Lordimass 1 year ago 5:14 "By building the modern world, we have also built the infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic", KURZGESAGT IS A TIME TRAVELLING CHANNEL I KNEW IT 1 Reply Original Precursor Original Precursor 5 years ago It's amazing what people will do to continue their addictions. I noticed he left out dairy, which also has a butt load of anti-b's. Reply Suhanee Gupta Suhanee Gupta 1 year ago "A dangerous pandemic" So Kurzgesagt predicted it. Reply Ytremz Ytremz 6 years ago That feeling when a new Kurzgesagt video shows up in your sub feed... 14 Reply 1 reply S T S T 5 years ago I like how they try not to scare you too much Reply Kam Corder Kam Corder 5 months ago A lot of STI's can be treated with antibiotics now but my understanding is that this is leading to antibacterial resistant versions of syphilis and chlamydia Reply Ayan Bhowmik Ayan Bhowmik 1 year ago We have made infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic... Ah, these words were so unbelievable 5 years ago 3 Reply Im_a_meme Im_a_meme 3 years ago Superbug: I’m am invincible! Phases: allow us to introduce ourselves Reply Sourav.T.S Sourav.T.S 1 year ago We don't need to panic just yet..... Famous last words. Reply Bojan Zigic Bojan Zigic 6 years ago I consider this as my horror movie for the month. 6 Reply SomeDonkus SomeDonkus 4 years ago It would be quite annoying and disappointing to die from something that we thought that we didnt really have to deal with anymore. So hopefully we dont. Reply Rickar -Mercenary- Rickar -Mercenary- 5 years ago That's why I find home cure a best way to help deal with sickness, and my parents don't rush to get antibiotics unless it's severe..... Reply Being StUpiD Being StUpiD 1 year ago It hits whole lot of differently after pandemic... So truest statistics and forecasting!!!! Reply leetlebob leetlebob 5 years ago You casually said they rip it's skin off, I near died laughing. Reply CWLDOC CWLDOC 1 month ago The video did not mention that the production of new antibiotics by major pharmaceuticals has virtually been shut down as of 2016. That decision is sending us on a direct path back to the pre-antibiotic era. Reply Parker Lovein Parker Lovein 6 years ago So bacterium evolution is pretty much "Hey, did u get that new update? U should rly check it out." 78 Reply 4 replies I like music I like music 5 years ago Those very first seconds already earned you a like :) 1 Reply Chameera Dedduwage Chameera Dedduwage 1 year ago “By building the modern world, we have also built the infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic”— this aged well. 4 Reply Tomos Halsey Tomos Halsey 4 years ago I can't believe this has to be explained...but at least laymen finally get a clear picture on why it's a serious problem popping antibiotics from a pez dispenser. Reply Dr. Pepper Dr. Pepper 1 year ago "If humanity plays it's cards right" "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE" Reply Eutropios Eutropios 5 years ago (edited) I take cough drops for a sore throat, eye drops for an eye infection, and Advil for migraines. That is it. Other than that, prescription drugs from the doctor and a lot of tea. I know the cough drops and Advil sound bad, but I get migraines often. Reply D.J. Bauhaus D.J. Bauhaus 1 year ago “Still, we don’t need to panic just yet” 2020: You sure? 1 Reply AJ M. AJ M. 6 years ago I've played too much 'Plague Inc.' to know how this is going to end for humanity. 21 Reply 3 replies Mr. Bannana Mr. Bannana 5 years ago Could you make a video on how this could be not an apocalypse? Reply Ryan Walsh Ryan Walsh 4 years ago This shows that evolution is observable 602 Reply 21 replies Lina EB Lina EB 1 year ago (edited) This video aged well. 2 Reply tiediealien tiediealien 4 years ago Would using bacteriophages to fight bacterial infections be more of a last resort than Colistin or other “last resort” antibiotics? Reply Something11 Something11 2 years ago 5:20 "We have created an infer structure for a pandemic, but we don't need to panic just yet." 1 Reply Prodigy Developer Prodigy Developer 5 years ago Great video,well said. Reply Juuzou Suzuya Juuzou Suzuya 5 years ago My friend just had the flu and when I pointed out the "post-symptoms-recovery contagiousness" because of the fever and he said his doctor prescribed him antibiotics. Nobody on earth has cringed as much as I did that day Reply 1 reply Sarah Burn Sarah Burn 1 year ago (edited) 'We have built the perfect infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic' Me: Looks like kurzgesagt has finally discovered time travel! 1 Reply 1 reply hike hike 4 years ago showed my science teacher this channel and I got an instant grade up for studying Reply TheCreatorrr TheCreatorrr 1 year ago "We have also built the infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic" Well... SH!T 8 Reply fozzibab fozzibab 6 years ago "CHEESEBURGERS HAVE TO COST A DOLLAR WE'RE FUCKED" "Don't worry, common sense will see us through!" "WAIT NO CHEESEBURGERS STILL HAVE TO COST A DOLLAR WE'RE FUCKED" Yeah, we're fucked. 8 Reply Augustus331 Augustus331 3 years ago In the Netherlands, we rarely go to the doctor. We won't take antibiotics unless there is no other cure. Most times we let our bodies fix the illness, leaving us better immunized and we don't contribute to this crisis by eating antibiotics in the same amount as the French or Americans 2 Reply lukerycyja lukerycyja 3 years ago (edited) 1:34 that's the cutest bacteria I have ever seen :3 edit: for INTELLIGENT people, i know how they look like in real life (parasites are far worse when it comes to appearance, but whatever), but this one just looks cute. That's all that I said. 2 Reply 4 replies dr.anchit Bhatnagar dr.anchit Bhatnagar 3 weeks ago No need to panic?? Today is 2023 and I am a Pulmonologist and I am seeing explosion of MDR Pseudomonas , Acinetobacter and MRSA and VRSA and ESBL resistance . Also seeing so many MDR and XDR Tb cases ( ATT is also a combination of antibiotics). It's horrifying so much that even the most experienced intensivists working with me nowadays put pts on Levonadifloxacin and 5th gen cephalosporins for what turn out to be TB . I always advocate that even seriously Ill pneumonia pts be first tested for the causative agent first before high grade antibiotics are started. Doing bronchoscopy for Bal testing in all pneumonia patients and then getting their report through culture and sensitivity or even faster species identification through comprehensive pneumonia panel is the way forward. Pt comes to you in emergency with pneumonia, draw his sputum , blood and urine cultures before starting antibiotics. If sputum is not getting produced do scopy ( even in ICU settings) and then get the pneumonia panel and immediately deescalate antibiotics or continue them if they are sensitive and indicated. 1 Reply President N U T President N U T 2 years ago I like how I learn more here then I learn at school. 1 Reply Ritika Mudabidri Ritika Mudabidri 1 year ago Love how this video kinda predicted the pandemic lol Reply Ghi102 Ghi102 6 years ago Also, one great thing is that antibiotics "go out of fashion" in the bacterial world. Meaning that after you stop using an antibiotic for a few years, it'll probably be as effective as it was before resistance was developed because the gene for resistance was dropped. 27 Reply 11 replies Mayra Baca Mayra Baca 3 years ago God, this video is incredible! Reply Tymek x0 Tymek x0 5 years ago Not taking the full dose of aniboitic can create more survivors or just make it easier for them to escape 1 Reply Farid Rosero Farid Rosero 1 year ago (edited) Imagine there was an actual pandemic in the fut..... Man, did we got lucky Reply Nwnymni Nwnymni 3 years ago "If humanity plays its cards right"... Welp, we are screwed. 4 Reply Syauqi Lintang Syauqi Lintang 1 year ago “By building the modern world, we have also built the infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic” well thats sounds like 2020 2 Reply Coto Coto 2 years ago kurzgesagt 5:20: we don’t need to panic just yet. 2020: Are you sure about that. ( : 159 Reply 8 replies Tyler Peterson Tyler Peterson 5 years ago You didn't mention how the antibiotic development pipeline is slowing down. We are struggling to find new antibiotics, and it may eventually become that we are producing multi-drug resistant bacteria faster than we are creating new antibiotics. 😱 Reply iaa13 iaa13 2 years ago I so looove kurzgesagt videos! But regarding this one... It proposes that the use of antibiotics generates new superbugs?? While in other part of the video says bacteria evolves randomly by DNA modification... So it would show up anyway, even without massive use of antibiotics... Right? Reply Bored Brother Bored Brother 2 years ago I’m glad I was born after we discovered antibiotics 1 Reply therelegate therelegate 5 years ago thanks for telling me a really important fact and it's fun too. Reply Godnyx Godnyx 1 year ago "Because the burger needs to cost 1 dollar" And this is what happen when you are selfish af and you only care about yourself. 1st world countries eat more than they need and that's the result. We can now all die in piece 20 Reply 5 replies MAK MAK 6 years ago -Great lesson ✔ -Great background music ✔ -Kickass design & animation ✔ -Matrix 0:00 ✔ -Harry Potter 1:43 ✔ -Ghostbusters 2:56 ✔ -TARDIS 3:03 ✔ -McDonald's 3:55 ✔ -agar. io, Mortal Kombat, Dr. Mario 1:03, 2:07, 4:09, 4:47 ✔ -Scary-ass bacterium ✔ Great job guys!! 5 Reply 3 replies Cookie 1178 Cookie 1178 3 years ago Bacteria are our teachers on how to survive and help us! 1 Reply Oblong Boss Oblong Boss 5 years ago As long as we keep hope and do something to help superbugs shouldn't be a problem Reply Padalec Zwyczajny Padalec Zwyczajny 1 year ago Kurzgesagt can you please make a video about chinese herbal medicine? I think it's very intresting topic, also it can help limit the use of antibiotics. 1 Reply Lif Mommy Lif Mommy 3 years ago Harry bacterium:I survived! Me:we need more voldibotics. Harry Potter theme song plays 50 Reply 2 replies Minehunter Minehunter 1 year ago Kurzgesagt: "we built the perfect infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic" Covid: Well well well 2 Reply Wel Wyrmin Wel Wyrmin 6 years ago (edited) "Or by simply ripping the outer layer of the bacteria to shreds so their insides spill out and they die quickly" That sounded unnecessarily gruesome... 6 Reply HYPER INSANITY HYPER INSANITY 2 years ago Humanity: *beats coronavirus* Superbugs: allow us to introduce our selves! 3 Reply 1 reply Ahrar Rahman Ahrar Rahman 2 years ago Kurzgesagt : we may be creating a super-bug 2020 : Hey wait up, I'm booked until 2021 Reply Grace Eunkyung Kim Grace Eunkyung Kim 1 year ago Humans: We can't find a way to stop the bacteria! Bacteriophage: .... 1 Reply The Quillster The Quillster 4 years ago One possible way to solve this is to create predictive nanobots or genetically modified bacteriophages that can adapt and change as fast as the bacteria, and focus on destroying them completely. Reply Nova Nova 1 year ago (edited) I thought virus were the smallest living thing. Having a bacteria infection in my lungs for over a year, I am very happy for anti biotics. If I could have fought it off myself, I would have by now. 1 Reply 1 reply AJ AJ 6 years ago This video is so valid. Everytime I get a cold or become sick. I let myself fight it instead of using antibiotics and not becoming immune. 5 Reply 6 replies Dinesh Raja Dinesh Raja 5 years ago Amazing work!:) Reply Nandha Kumar Ettikkan Nandha Kumar Ettikkan 4 years ago Moral of the Story: You cant easily outgrow and beat the nature. It will fight back. Reply Il Maestro Emagabri01 Il Maestro Emagabri01 1 year ago Superbugs: we are the most danger creature for the word Coronavirus: Hold my beer Reply Arathyl 999 Arathyl 999 5 years ago This video ended on a lighter note than it should have. Anti biotic resistance is far bigger problem than this video suggests. We are running out of anti biotics as we've used all available varieties.... bacteriophages are our best chance. Reply Mr. E Mr. E 1 year ago (edited) Bacteriophage virus : "Am i a joke to you?" Reply Jamie Ruwen Jamie Ruwen 5 years ago Antibiotics also won't help your cold because the common cold is a viral infection ;) 283 Reply 18 replies Sunny Lee Sunny Lee 5 years ago When if one of our bacteria like helpful ones turned into a superbug and is on our side? That will be epic Reply Jack Aindow Jack Aindow 4 years ago Hey just a question what if bacteria become immune to a drug and hundreds of thousands of years later it uses the immunity removes it and replaces it with some other immunity? Will the drug start working again Reply Thomas Thomas 1 year ago 5:13 "by creating the modern world we have created the infrastructure for a dangerous pandemic" THE PROPHECY! Reply sajid faras sajid faras 4 years ago Sir this channel teaches a lot 1 req is you plz create a video on HUMAN PISIOLOGY in detail with your animation and extra knowledge THNKYOU Reply Randy Fulford Randy Fulford 1 year ago Well here we are on September 30th, 2021 and this video has aged quite brilliantly! Reply Angela Tsang Angela Tsang 6 years ago "I'm the chosen one!" I died. XD 74 Reply 2 replies Marie vs Marie vs 4 years ago I would love to learn more about the use of antibiotics in the meat industry Reply Tri Tri 5 years ago Such a beautiful world we live in.. Reply Yuvaan Bhadha Yuvaan Bhadha 1 year ago Watching this after covid. He practically predicted the future Reply Cole S Cole S 5 years ago "There's no thing so good it can't be used for evil."- Shakespeare Reply Goku Goku 1 year ago This video aged so well Reply TetyLike3 TetyLike3 2 years ago "we have the transport for a deadly pandemic, but dont panic yet-" Coronavirus: oh hai 686 Reply 12 replies Fuzzyleafwarrior Fuzzyleafwarrior 8 months ago (edited) Of course Kurzgesagt predicted the future Reply that one screeming cat go REEE that one screeming cat go REEE 3 years ago Scary to know that everybody is connected and a pandemic or an epidemic of a superbug can suddenly and quickly start at any moment in time as it wants. You think if we could just use less of antibiotics or maybe use something other than antibiotics in the meantime they'll become less immune to the antibiotics? 1 Reply 2 replies Sangeetha Raman Sangeetha Raman 1 year ago am i the only one who expected the new intro of the kurzgesagt show and was trying to hum along only to realise it wasnt there and then realised it was a 2016 vid lmao Reply Think & Act Think & Act 1 year ago PERFECT SUPERSTYLE OF PRESENTATION ,WELL DONE Reply Sparkle Jonah Sparkle Jonah 1 year ago This aged well 😅 1 Reply Jacob Latham Jacob Latham 6 years ago "Because a cheeseburger has to cost a dollar." 11 Reply Arrslicker Arrslicker 5 years ago Yes, schools need these videos! Reply Mizuko Mizuko 2 years ago Kurzgesagt: What if we told you that the world is doing a collaborative effort to engineer the perfect superbug? Me: WTF Reply Deava Deava 3 months ago This channel is making me big brain by watching Thanks Kurzgesagt ;v Reply who reads this? who reads this? 1 year ago Super bugs: has resistance against antibiotics Phages: am about to end this man's whole entire career 1 Reply on industrial farms, as animal manure is naturally deposited as the livestock are moved across the land, rather than stored in vast outdoor cesspools.