Alarm Over Ornamental Fish Could Lead To Action On Antibiotic Resistance
Tuesday, January 15, 2013 - 21:10
in Biology & Nature
Want concerns about transmission of disease and antibiotic resistance to get attention? Show that pretty tropical fish are at risk. The $15 billion ornamental fish industry has sounded the alarm about antibiotic resistance because of concerns that treatments for fish diseases may not work when needed – and creating yet another mechanism for exposing humans to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The risk to humans is minor unless they frequently work with fish or have compromised immune systems, researchers said, but more serious is the risk to this industry, which has grown significantly in recent years, and is now a $900 million annual business just in the United States. read more