In a joint action Danish Food-control Authorities and the Danish local TV-station, TV-Syd collected 100 samples of fresh, Danish meat from 16 different supermarkets in the region, southern Jutland. After testing in the Department of Food at the Danish Technical University found, that 21 of the samples were contaminated with MRSA CC398, a resistant staphyllococ, which can cause light instances of inflammation, infected wounds or in rare cases death through blood poisoning.
The bacteria has spread from the pig-farms to the staff and the owners, and there are several cases of new born infants, who have been infected by their mothers during birth. Until now four people have been reported dead.
The authorities seem paralysed. Plans to keep the bacteria inside the stables have obviously failed. The minister of Food, Dan Jørgensen, Labour, said: “Our present plans do not solve the problem. But we do not know enough about the course of the epidemic, and until this has been cleared, we cannot take action.”
The leading expert, professor, doctor at the University Hospital in Odense, Hans Jørn Kolmos, suggests, that the use of antibiotics be reduced dramatically and disease-free strains of pigs be raised to gradually eradicate the dangerous germ.
Hospitals already face rising costs because infected patients must be isolated and special costly precautions be taken to prevent MRSA from spreading in the hospital, where other patients can be endangered by MRSA-infection.
85% of the Danish pork are exported maily to England, Germany and Sweeden. China, Japan ond other markets recieve minor shares. No meat is screened for MRSA before leaving the country.
Grassroots now want to boycott meat until is is safe to handle and eat.
Released September 24th 2014 by the webblog www.sickpigs.dk/ editor Knud Haugmark
Danish article here
