Tag Archives: james tiedje

Unchecked Antibiotic Use in Animals May Affect Global Human Health

The increasing production and use of antibiotics, about half of which is used in animal production, is mirrored by the growing number of antibiotic resistance genes, or ARGs, effectively reducing antibiotics’ ability to fend off diseases – in animals and humans.

A study in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that China – the world’s largest producer and consumer of antibiotics – and many other countries don’t monitor the powerful medicine’s usage or impact on the environment. (more…)

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Study Provides New Insights into Antibiotics and Pig Feeds

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Antibiotics in pig feed increased the number of antibiotic resistant genes in gastrointestinal microbes in pigs, according to a study conducted by Michigan State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service.

Published in the current edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the comprehensive study focused on understanding the effects of conventional, in-feed antibiotics in U.S. farms. (more…)

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MSU Professor’s Invention Analyzes Plant Diseases without Leaving the Field

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Farmers and field scientists can now instantly identify diseases attacking crops and plants, thanks to a Michigan State University professor’s new invention.

Syed Hashsham, professor of civil and environmental engineering, has developed the Gene-Z device, which performs genetic analysis using a low-cost handheld device and is operated using smartphone technology. (more…)

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