[obol] High Degree Of Antibiotic Resistance Found In Wild Arctic Birds / BH Grosbeak

[Brandon Green]

While I agree with this sentiment about anti-bacterial soaps, the cited findings are more likely due to 50+ years of heavy use of antibiotic-based treatments for bacterial infections and widespread use of antibiotics as selection tools in biology and biochemistry labs.  Antibiotic-resistant TB and staph have been a problem in the medial field since the '70s, well before anti-bacterial hand soap became widely-available commercially.  I agree that using regular soap will help, but the problem will continue until fundamental changes are made elsewhere.  I've read that they're beginning to use EDTA in soap now.  EDTA chelates divalent metal ions that microorganisms require for survival.  It's been used as a preservative in salad dressing (and probably other food items) for some time.  I also believe that it's also more stable than most antibiotics.

Back to birds, I had a BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK at one of my feeders this morning.  It looked a bit ragged to be a female, so I thought that it may be a fledgling.  But there were no adults around and it's only been about a month since its parents would have arrived here, so perhaps I'm mistaken.

Brandon
Eugene

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Subject: High Degree Of Antibiotic Resistance Found In Wild Arctic Birds
From: "Lee and Lori Cain" <4cains AT charter.net>
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 07:35:52 -0700

This came out in January but  I just read it...disturbing.  
It supports my personal practice of avoiding the use of antibiotic soaps (don't 
worry -- I wash thoroughly with regular soaps -- research suggests this works 
as well anyway) 


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080111100636.htm

Lee Cain
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