Sea Life Is Accumulating Pathogens
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Sea Life Is Accumulating Pathogens
by David » September 25, 2008 - 1:14 pm
A wide range of marine animals also contains microbes that are resistant to antibiotics
An unprecedented survey of seabirds, marine mammals, and sharks on the U.S. East Coast has revealed that marine wildlife contains a wide variety of disease-causing microbes—including many that have developed resistance to antibiotics and several that can be transmitted to humans.
The newly published study provides no evidence that the widespread presence of these disease agents in marine animals is affecting the health of people. But it raises several provocative questions:
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“It’s really amazing what you find once you start looking,” Bogomolni said. “We’ve learned that it’s not just marine mammals, it’s not just birds, and it’s not just one geographic area that’s affected. You cannot look at a system and just look at one species or one group. Everything is connected.”
Research source: http://www.int-res.com/articles/dao_oa/d081p013.pdf
An unprecedented survey of seabirds, marine mammals, and sharks on the U.S. East Coast has revealed that marine wildlife contains a wide variety of disease-causing microbes—including many that have developed resistance to antibiotics and several that can be transmitted to humans.
The newly published study provides no evidence that the widespread presence of these disease agents in marine animals is affecting the health of people. But it raises several provocative questions:
- Are more marine animals acquiring disease-causing microbes in coastal waters contaminated by human, agricultural, and medical waste?
- Can marine life act as carriers for infectious diseases, spreading pathogens through the oceans?
- Can marine animals ingesting antibiotics in medical waste, serve as incubators to maintain, multiply, and spread antibiotic resistance genes through marine and coastal ecosystems?
Read more >>
“It’s really amazing what you find once you start looking,” Bogomolni said. “We’ve learned that it’s not just marine mammals, it’s not just birds, and it’s not just one geographic area that’s affected. You cannot look at a system and just look at one species or one group. Everything is connected.”
Research source: http://www.int-res.com/articles/dao_oa/d081p013.pdf
David Campbell
MarineBio Founder/Director
Tel: 713-248-2576 PST >-<ºº>-<
"Extending a sea ethic would mean recognizing the ocean’s importance to the continued existence of life on our planet and to human futures. From this recognition would flow an appropriate sense of moral imperative, commitment, and urgency—urgency toward ending overfishing and wasteful bycatch and aggressively rebuilding depleted ocean wildlife populations, stabilizing human effects on world climate, slowing habitat destruction, stemming global transport and accidental introduction of "alien" species, curbing the flow of contaminants and trash, developing sustainable seafood farming, cultivating an informed approach to the seafood marketplace, and implementing networks of protected areas in the sea." - Dr. Carl Safina
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
"If you think you can, you might, if you think you can't, you never will." - Anon
"Don't believe everything you think." - Anon
MarineBio Founder/Director
Tel: 713-248-2576 PST >-<ºº>-<
~~~ Join the MarineBio Conservation Society and help us continue to share the wonders of the ocean inspiring conservation, education, research, and a sea ethic. ~~~
"Extending a sea ethic would mean recognizing the ocean’s importance to the continued existence of life on our planet and to human futures. From this recognition would flow an appropriate sense of moral imperative, commitment, and urgency—urgency toward ending overfishing and wasteful bycatch and aggressively rebuilding depleted ocean wildlife populations, stabilizing human effects on world climate, slowing habitat destruction, stemming global transport and accidental introduction of "alien" species, curbing the flow of contaminants and trash, developing sustainable seafood farming, cultivating an informed approach to the seafood marketplace, and implementing networks of protected areas in the sea." - Dr. Carl Safina
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
"If you think you can, you might, if you think you can't, you never will." - Anon
"Don't believe everything you think." - Anon
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David - ~~~admin~~~
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