World's rivers 'awash with dangerous levels of antibiotics'
Excerpt:
The Thames, generally regarded as one of Europe’s cleanest rivers, was contaminated, along with some of its tributaries, by a mixture of five antibiotics. One site on the river and three on its tributaries were polluted above safe levels. Ciprofloxacin, which treats infections of the skin and urinary tract, peaked at more than three times safe levels.
Even rivers contaminated with low levels of antibiotics are a threat, Gaze said. “Even the low concentrations seen in Europe can drive the evolution of resistance and increase the likelihood that resistance genes transfer to human pathogens,” he says.
The researchers tested 711 sites in 72 countries and found antibiotics in 65% of them. In 111 of the sites, the concentrations of antibiotics exceeded safe levels, with the worst cases more than 300 times over the safe limit.
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We've talked a bit about this on another thread, and this is an excellent article that shows just what is happening to pollute our water.
I have highlighted Cipro, as there is something new we are just discovering. Fluoroquinolones such as Cipro have now been shown to cause permanent, yes, permanent side effects that can cause disability. It's called Floxing or being Floxed. Doesn't happen to everyone who takes them, but it's a growing problem to the point there are warnings on the label. The FDA has now given it the designation of FQAD, and it is also being tied to what is known as Gulf War Syndrome.
Excerpt:
The Thames, generally regarded as one of Europe’s cleanest rivers, was contaminated, along with some of its tributaries, by a mixture of five antibiotics. One site on the river and three on its tributaries were polluted above safe levels. Ciprofloxacin, which treats infections of the skin and urinary tract, peaked at more than three times safe levels.
Even rivers contaminated with low levels of antibiotics are a threat, Gaze said. “Even the low concentrations seen in Europe can drive the evolution of resistance and increase the likelihood that resistance genes transfer to human pathogens,” he says.
The researchers tested 711 sites in 72 countries and found antibiotics in 65% of them. In 111 of the sites, the concentrations of antibiotics exceeded safe levels, with the worst cases more than 300 times over the safe limit.
****
We've talked a bit about this on another thread, and this is an excellent article that shows just what is happening to pollute our water.
I have highlighted Cipro, as there is something new we are just discovering. Fluoroquinolones such as Cipro have now been shown to cause permanent, yes, permanent side effects that can cause disability. It's called Floxing or being Floxed. Doesn't happen to everyone who takes them, but it's a growing problem to the point there are warnings on the label. The FDA has now given it the designation of FQAD, and it is also being tied to what is known as Gulf War Syndrome.
