A very rare strain of Salmonella known as Typhimurium was recently discovered in a group of hamsters. A Minnesota veterinarian discovered the bacteria in these animals while checking a shipment for a pet distributor. The veterinarian noted that the hamsters were sweaty, hunched over and had crusty eyes and diarrhea. She sent some of the hamsters in to the University of Minnesota's Diagnostic Laboratory for testing where it was discovered the animals had Salmonella infections.

Eventually the Salmonella was transmitted to people who had purchased infected animals. However, these Salmonella infections were hard to treat as the strain of Salmonella had become immune to several standard antibiotics. This was likely because many breeders and distributors routinely used these standard antibiotics to prevent diarrheal disease in their animals. Since the breeders and distributors used the antibiotics as a preventative measure, and not as a treatment for an actual sickness, some Salmonella bacteria had developed resistance to the drugs.

This is just one example where a new strain of an infectious disease emerged that is resistant to antibiotics because of the overuse of antibiotics and their use as a preventative measure rather than to treat a specific illness. This prophylactic use of antibiotics is most common in the livestock and poultry industry where antibiotics are used to compensate for unsanitary conditions, not as a treatment.

To learn more about the dangers of the overuse of antibiotics, visit the Keep Antibiotics Working website.