MRSA Targets Livestock Farms: JoTo PR Client Clearstream, LLC, Brings to Light Looming Public Health Threat

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The overuse of antibiotics has dimmed their effectiveness—some experts have even expressed concerns that eventually, antibiotic-resistant bacteria will outpace our ability to treat even simple infections.

Tampa Bay, FL (PRWEB) June 30, 2014

Recent studies have surfaced with findings that connect the growth of the antibiotic-resistant bacteria known as MRSA, in addition to other bacterial and viral contaminants, to the overzealous use of antibiotics on livestock farms—a finding that has prompted North Carolina-based Clearstream, LLC, to seek the help of JoTo PR in furthering the company’s mission of providing environmentally-friendly antimicrobial products and services designed to protect public safety and health by way of the use of advanced sanitization technology. JoTo’s use of a strategic PR campaign that utilized both a local and national presence with the media allowed the firm to cinch Clearstream recognition in several recent articles and a radio segment—the North Carolina News Service contacted Clearstream as an expert source for an article entitled, “The Meat We Eat: NC Company Offers Alternative to Livestock Antibiotics,” which was subsequently syndicated to the Florida Public News Service. The topic is of major concern for Americans today, with even the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) weighing in with a request of U.S. pharmaceutical companies to restrict farmers’ access to antibiotics in an effort to reduce the creation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. (1)

The North Carolina News Service (NCNS) is a subsidiary of several independent public interest, state-based news services pioneered by Public News Service, and currently broadcasts to over 800 stations and publications throughout North Carolina. In the NCNS feature, Clearstream COO Tony Daddona reported that antibiotics on industrial farms are akin to Band-Aids, in that they are a cover-up offering only a temporary fix—a statement seemingly proven true by studies that have found a direct connection between factory farming and MRSA: (2)

• “Subtherapeutic” amounts of antibiotics are given to animals to ward off illness, rather than to treat acute infections. The majority of the antibiotics given to these animals is not absorbed, and instead passes through to the animals’ manure.
• That manure is then applied to crop fields as fertilizer, and creates a greater risk of community-associated MRSA and skin and soft-tissue infections for neighboring residential communities. (3)

JoTo CEO Karla Jo Helms says that the healthcare and food industries need to take notice of the threat and consider the adoption of a national standard which makes use of a viable, long-term solution to stemming antibiotic resistance.

“The overuse of antibiotics has dimmed their effectiveness—some experts have even expressed concerns that eventually, antibiotic-resistant bacteria will outpace our ability to treat even simple infections,” Helms said. “But there is technology available that can combat the spread of infectious diseases without the use of antibiotics; antibiotics should only be used when absolutely necessary, and not as a means of counteracting often unsanitary environments such as industrial farms.”

As a Florida PR firm known for its work in the healthcare, finance and IT industries, JoTo President Diane Stein also commented that industries ranging from professional sports teams to healthcare facilities should remain cognizant of the very real threat of bacterial contaminants, and should unite in an effort to control the spread of infectious diseases through a process which essentially negates the use of antibiotics for any reason other than treating infections or disease.

Clearstream offers a wide range of EPA-registered and FDA-approved products and services dedicated to reducing cross-contamination by harmful bacteria and viruses on protected surfaces.

To read the NCNS article, click here.

For more information about JoTo PR and its services, visit http://www.jotopr.com.

About JoTo PR:

Based in Tampa Bay, Florida, JoTo PR is an established public relations agency founded by PR veterans and innovators Karla Jo Helms and Diane D. Stein. JoTo blends the proven traditional PR strategies with the latest digital communications methods to deliver the best advantages of both worlds, helping companies reach their target markets via the media much faster and more effectively. JoTo’s holistic approach to public relations services begins with strategic business PR planning and leads to a fully integrated program that is designed to optimize communication and improve return on investment (ROI) for a company’s marketing dollars while expanding business opportunities. The firm also specializes in crisis management public relations. For more information, visit JoTo PR online at http://www.jotopr.com.

1. “FDA: Drug Companies Agree to Restrict Use of Antibiotics in Farm Animals.” OregonLive.com. Web. 19 May 2014. oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/03/fda_drug_companies_will_change.html.

2. “Workers at Livestock Factories Face Increased MRSA Risk.” Web. 19 May 2014. medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/40286.

3. “MRSA Infection Found in Communities Near Pig Farms.” Web. 19 May 2014. northcarolinahealthnews.org/2013/09/25/mrsa-infection-found-in-nc-communities-near-pig-farms/.

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