If resistant bacteria enter the food supply, drugs normally used to treat people infected with those bacteria may not work.

If resistant bacteria enter the food supply, drugs normally used to treat people infected with those bacteria may not work.

• A. False
• B. It depends on the country
• C. Only for certain strains
• D. True

Answer: (D)

Antimicrobial resistance means bacteria survive exposure to antibiotics that would normally kill them or stop their growth. When resistant bacteria enter the food chain, through contaminated meat, dairy, produce, or during handling and processing, infections they cause in people may not respond to the drugs usually used. This can lead to treatment failures, requiring alternative, often more costly or toxic, therapies, longer illness, or hospitalization. The issue arises because resistance can develop in many bacteria and spread via the food supply and transfer of resistance genes to human pathogens. Therefore, the statement is true.

Antimicrobial resistance means bacteria survive exposure to antibiotics that would normally kill them or stop their growth. When resistant bacteria enter the food chain, through contaminated meat, dairy, produce, or during handling and processing, infections they cause in people may not respond to the drugs usually used. This can lead to treatment failures, requiring alternative, often more costly or toxic, therapies, longer illness, or hospitalization. The issue arises because resistance can develop in many bacteria and spread via the food supply and transfer of resistance genes to human pathogens. Therefore, the statement is true.