Antibiotic resistance: An unexpected chronology

(Institut Pasteur) Researchers from Institut Pasteur have shed light on the rise of ampicillin resistance back in the 60s. Through the sampling of Salmonella strains, they proved that antibiotic resistance can be traced back prior to the release of ampicillin on the UK market. Their discovery suggests that penicillin fed to livestock in the 1950s may have encouraged antibiotic-resistant bacteria to evolve and spread. These results will be published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases on Wednesday, Nov. 29.
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news