Bacteria C. Diff Found in 40% of Packaged Meats, Study Finds
A potentially deadly intestinal bug that is being found more often in hospitals and other health-care facilities is now also showing up in nearly half of pre-packaged grocery store meats, according to a newly released study.
Scientists from the University of Arizona sampled packaged meat brands sold nationwide and found that more than 40 percent of the samples tested positive for Clostridium difficile, a nasty intestinal bacteria also called as C. diff that can cause life-threatening diarrhea and other digestive problems.
The contaminated meats sampled included pre-packaged ground beef, pork, turkey, and read-to-eat meats such as summer sausage, officials said.
C. diff. contamination has attracted attention lately, with officials citing it as an increasing cause of serious illness, particularly among the sick and elderly. The new study findings are troubling, officials said, because they suggest that the bacterial infections may be transmitted through food.
Officials cautioned, however, that food-borne infections of C. diff are rare, with about 80% of infections still occurring hospitals or health-care settings. In most cases, insufficient cleaning of examination rooms or medical equipment is to blame for infecting patients with C. diff.
Permalink Tags: bacteria, c diff, clostridium difficile, meat
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