"Brian Sandle" wrote in message
snip
It also advocates removal of antibiotic resistance genes from GM
constructs used in the production of food, but falls short of
calling for their removal in animal feed, even though there is
growing evidence that bacteria can pass from farm animals to
human beings - E. coli 0157 is a well known example.

There a large number of diseases that are transmittable from farm animals to
man. Anthrax, bruculosis, tuberculosis, leptospiris, a half dozen parasites
and flu often passes from birds to pigs to man just to name a few. E. coli
O157 is not normally transmitted to people unless they are raised in
isolation from livestock a practice that has only been common in the last 50
years. Any one that is around livestock on a regular basis does not catch
it.

We feed the livestock a lot more antibiotics as growth promoters that would
cause resistance more than any possible unproved transfer from feed. We have
been doing for 50 years with out a problem and they still are antsy about
it.

You can find antibiotic resistant bacteria in the most remote places of the
world.

If we were going to create an antibiotic resistant e. coli O157 the
antibioses we feed cattle are lot more worrisome.

Gordon

Gordon