The New Superbug Turning Up in Your Chicken
Sure, you may not be thinking of potentially dangerous superbugs when preparing a chicken dinner, but should you be? Is there a relatively new superbug going around?
One study published in Clinical Infections Diseases has found that people are actually contracting MRSA from handling and eating chicken at home. It appears we are dealing with a new strain of MRSA as MRSA transmission via chicken is much more likely to occur in veterinarians or workers on industrial farms.
For most families chicken is something easy to make and enjoyable for everyone. Being budget-friendly and quick to make it is something families frequently have for dinner. It appears MRSA is going to be cutting down on the chicken dinners. MRSA methicilin-resistant staphylococcus aureus is an infection caused by a form of the staph bacteria. It this infection is contracted and goes without treatment it can cause serious issues and in some cases even death.
A more recent study on this issue done by an international team of researchers has found that people from urban areas who have no exposure to live animals are becoming infected from handling and eating MRSA-infected chicken. This is not the first time MRSA has been found in our supply of meat. When it comes to MRSA we need to do what we can to protect ourselves.
Steps To Protecting Yourself From MRSA:
- Always use gloves when handling raw meat. (This will reduce your chances of contracting MRSA)
- Avoid added sugar, bacteria feeds off of sugar.
- Try sticking to real foods. This type of diet will strengthen your immune system and help your body to naturally be able to fight off infections.
- Stay away from poultry trucks. MRSA has been found to fly around those chicken filled trucks. When on the road do your best to avoid them, keep your air conditioner on when near then and keep your windows up.
- Eat higher quality meat, do not consume overly drugged meats.
- When cooking chicken be sure to hit 165 degrees Fahrenheit as this will kill the pathogens.
We have been dealing with superbugs for quite some time now and the issues surrounding them will only get worse. This is a crisis we need to address. Choosing antibiotic free meat will help protect you from this threat. Please take the extra needed precautions when preparing meals. Your health, as well as your families, is very important.