antibiotics

Health & Safety

McDonald's Says It Won't Be Serving Chicken Raised On Antibiotics

5:20pm March 04, 2015

by Allison Aubrey and Eliza Barclay

Over the next two years, McDonald's will transition its U.S. restaurants to a new antibiotics policy. Several of the chain's competitors have also committed to curb antibiotics in their supply chain.

An employee of the drug company Apotex, examines some Ciprofloxacin at the plant in Canada. Cipro is commonly given to travelers for diarrhea. More than 20 million Cipro doses are prescribed each year in the U.S.

Taking Antibiotics During Travel Fosters Drug-Resistant Germs

8:54pm January 24, 2015

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Many of us take antibiotics when we get tummy troubles in developing countries. Scientists say this opens the door for a dangerous visitor in the GI tract. These microbes can stick around for months.

You don't want to run into methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria. A potential new antibiotic could help fight this bug.

Scientists Hit Antibiotic Pay Dirt Growing Finicky Bacteria In Lab

12:39pm January 08, 2015

by Richard Harris

A natural compound kills germs that have become resistant to antibiotics, researchers say. If it works in humans, it could help combat diseases like tuberculosis.

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Within a day after chicks hatch, they are sorted by sex and shipped to farms. Some will be treated with antibiotics; others will not.

Giving Chickens Bacteria ... To Keep Them Antibiotic-Free

5:56pm September 22, 2014

by Dan Charles

What does it take to get chickens off antibiotics? According to Perdue Farms, an added dose of the "good bacteria" known as probiotics can help crowd out the harmful microbes that make a chicken sick.

Drat those viruses. They're the culprit in the majority of children's colds and sore throats.

Antibiotics Prescribed For Children Twice As Often As Needed

8:58am September 17, 2014

by Nancy Shute

About 27 percent of respiratory tract infections in children are caused by bacteria, a study finds. But doctors prescribe antibiotics for 57 percent, leading to 11 million unneeded prescriptions.

Klebsiella pneumoniae, seen here with an electron microscope, are the most common superbugs causing highly drug-resistant infections in hospitals.

Infections With 'Nightmare Bacteria' Are On The Rise In U.S. Hospitals

4:34pm March 20, 2014

by Rob Stein

Federal health officials warned that a dangerous group of superbugs has become increasingly common in hospitals. The bacteria are said to be resistant to virtually all antibiotics.

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Young broilers nibble feed at a chicken farm in Luling, Texas. The Food and Drug Administration has issued new guidance on how drug companies label antibiotics for livestock.

Drug Companies Accept FDA Plan To Phase Out Some Animal Antibiotic Uses

8:07pm December 11, 2013

by Dan Charles

The Food and Drug Administration Wednesday advised companies to change the labels on their drugs to make it illegal for livestock producers to use drugs for "growth promotion" or "feed efficiency." The announcement is the latest step in a long-running effort by the FDA to reduce the use of antibiotics in agriculture.

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Health & Safety

Antibiotic-Resistant Bugs Turn Up Again In Turkey Meat

5:29pm November 18, 2013

Turkey producers contend that they use antibiotics judiciously to help keep their flocks healthy.

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Piglets in a pen on a hog farm in Frankenstein, Mo.

Science
Arts

Antibiotic Use On The Farm: Are We Flying Blind?

5:26pm November 18, 2013

by Dan Charles

No one knows exactly how farmers use antibiotics. Many public health experts say the government should collect and publish detailed information because antibiotic-resistant bacteria are an increasingly urgent problem. But many farm groups are opposed.

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Craig Rowles raises pigs near Carroll, Iowa. The piglets will enter and leave this room as a group.

Why Are Pig Farmers Still Using Growth-Promoting Drugs?

7:42pm November 04, 2013

by Dan Charles

There's a curious twist in the contentious debate over feeding antibiotics to animals in order to make them grow faster. Evidence suggests using antibiotics for growth promotion, at least among pigs, doesn't even make economic sense. But some pork producers don't believe it.

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