CDC Researcher Talks Turkey Recall in Indy

The recall involves 91

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One death and 164 reported illnesses, including three in Indiana, are being attributed to a massive recall of turkey meat heading into the Thanksgiving holiday. Speaking in Indianapolis last week, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researcher Francois Watkins spoke about how the misuse of antibiotics in humans, pets and agriculture are creating more antibiotic resistant strains of salmonella and other foodborne illnesses.

"When bacteria are exposed to antibiotics they can develop and when that happens that antibiotic is no longer an effective treatment for that type of bacterial infection," said Watkins, "so doctors have had to turn to alternative treatments of antibiotics to treat common infections and sometimes these treatments are less effective, more expensive and can have undesirable side effects.” 

The recall involves 91,000 pounds of turkey meat. Jennie-O raw ground turkey is at the center of the salmonella outbreak.