The threat from deadly superbugs is growing bigger than ever

Urgent: How to stay safe from a killer infection

It could be the plot of a new Steven King book: an enemy out to get us that we can’t stop.

Only this horror story is for real.

You could call this a catastrophe of our own making.

Profit-hungry food companies want to move livestock as fast as possible. So they need to fatten them up as fast as possible.

Enter antibiotics. A lot of antibiotics.

So much so, that 80 percent of all the antibiotics sold in the U.S. are fed to livestock…and that is the foundation of a serious health crisis that puts us all at risk.

Healthy farm animals are given constant, low-levels of these drugs to make them gain weight quickly. But what many experts have been saying about this method of farming for a long time now is, “Houston, we’ve got a problem.”

And by this point it’s a problem of gigantic proportions.

Here’s the danger: Feeding these small, but nonstop meds to farm animals creates those drug-resistant superbugs I’ve warned you about.

Superbugs that can’t be destroyed by the antibiotics we’ve depended on for so long.

That means if you come down with an infection, the antibiotics you need might not work anymore. And for serious infections, the risk can be deadly.

Plenty of experts are talking about this, but that’s about all they’re doing.

There’s even a new study out about the “problem.” But the interesting thing is, the study wasn’t done by the FDA or the CDC. No, it was done by an economist!

That’s right — it’s always about the money, even when human lives are in jeopardy.

If something isn’t done soon, it’s estimated that in the next few decades the death toll from these superbugs will reach 300,000 a year in North America alone.

Right now, they kill over 23,000 in the U.S. every year. But to move into the hundreds of thousands, that’s just unbelievable.

While we can’t seem to make the FDA wake up and smell the coffee, there are things we can do to keep ourselves, and our family, as safe as possible.

Especially if you, or a loved one is in the hospital. That’s one of the most likely places people are apt to get a superbug infection.

So make sure that any tubes, IVs or catheters are removed as soon as possible. And don’t be shy about it, either. Ask the doctor, ask the nurses — find out when these things can be taken out, and make sure they are.

Other ways to lower your risk at home include:

• Being very careful when handling raw meat or poultry. Put raw meat and chicken in a plastic bag before it goes into your shopping cart. And even then, don’t put it in the same shopping bag as your other food.
• Don’t wash meat or chicken in the sink unless absolutely necessary. If you do, be very careful not to splash drops of water. That can spread dangerous bacteria around your kitchen.
• Keep that cutting board clean. If you’ve used it for raw meat or chicken, don’t just wipe it down, but put it in the dishwasher or give it a very hot soap and water washing.

And of course this simple precaution is one you’ve heard many times, but experts say it could be one of the most important ones.

Wash your hands.

And not just a little rinse, but a good washing. And more times a day than just before you eat.

That humble habit is giving new meaning to taking matters into our own hands…

Sources:
“Deadly Superbugs could cost $100 trillion by 2010” Makiko Kitamura, December 11, 2014, Bloomberg, Bloomberg.com”