PARIS:Increasingly popular raw meat meals for dogs and cats may be full of multi-drugresistant bacteria, posing a serious risk to animals and humans, scientistsreported Wednesday. Three-quarters of samples purchased and tested inSwitzerland exceeded recommended limits of bacteria known to causegastro-intestinal infections, and more than half had bugs impervious to drugsdesigned to kill them, they reported in Royal Society Open Science.
"It isreally worrying that we found EBSL-producing bacteria in over 60 percent ofsamples," said first author Magdalena Nuesch-Inderbinen, a researcher atthe University of Zurich, referring to an enzyme that renders some antibioticsineffective. "They include several types of E. coli which can causeinfections in humans and animals."
Sales of raw petfood-sometimes called "biologically appropriate raw food", orBARF-have soared in recent years, especially for dogs. Paleo-like diets aresaid to boost canine vitality and immunity, even if there is scant research toback up such claims. Indeed, veterinary medical associations in the UnitedStates and Canada have raised concerns about raw meat pet food, with reportsshowing it to be a source of Salmonella and infectious yersiniosis in dogs.
And that,Nuesch-Inderbinen told AFP, is a problem for humans. "Raw meat-based dietsmay be contaminated with bacteria that are resistant to multiple antibiotics,including those categorised by the World Health Organization (WHO) ascritically important for human medicine," she wrote by email.
Pet lover beware
"There isgrowing evidence that these pathogens pose a risk of infectious disease tohumans not only during handling of feed, but also through the contamination ofhousehold surfaces and through close contact to the dogs and their feces."There are an estimated 140 million dogs and cats in the European Union, and atleast as many in North America. More generally, antibiotic resistance hasbecame a major health crisis across the globe.
"Thesituation with multi-drug resistant bacteria has spiralled out of control inrecent years," said co-author Roger Stephan, a professor at the Universityof Zurich's Institue for Food Safety and Hygiene. The indiscriminate andsometimes inappropriate use of antibiotics have allowed surviving bugs tomutate into superbugs that outpace the development of new medicines. Because ofthe overuse of antibiotics in the livestock production, animals raised forconsumption have become a major reservoir for antimicrobial resistance."Like conventional pet food, most raw meat-based diets are based on theby-products of animals slaughtered for human consumption," the studynotes.
To find outexactly how contaminated raw pet foods really are, the researchers tested 51samples from different suppliers in Switzerland, purchased in stores and on theInternet. "We advise all dog and cat owners who want to feed their pets a'BARF' diet to handle the food carefully and maintain strict hygienestandards," said Nuesch-Inderbinen. "Pet owners should be aware ofthe risk that their pet may be carrying multi-drug resistant bacteria and canspread them." -AFP