A highly regarded medical journal is calling for a ban on antibiotics in animals. The New England Journal of Medicine cites new studies showing that drugs in animals are causing health problems in people.

Animal feed is often spiked with a low dose of antibiotics to prevent disease. The animals stay healthy and grow faster, getting to market quickly.

However, a steady diet of antibiotics also allows bacteria to evolve and become resistant. It's harder to kill with normal drugs. When consumers eat the meat, that bacteria is passed on to them.

"What is important and disturbing is the presence of a highly resistant and highly virulent...bacterium called salmonella DT10," says Dr. Sherwood Gorbach of the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics. Gorbach also wrote the editorial in the journal.

"It was isolated from these food sources so we know resistant bacteria are getting into the food supply and this is a matter of concern."

Unrestricted use of antibiotics means it will be harder to treat the illness with antibiotics.

Ban on antibiotics will mean increase in cost of food

American doctors say the same situation is likely occuring in Canada.

Only use antibiotics for sick animals

"We know a lot of people are being exposed to these strains," says Dr. William Bowie an infectious disease specialist in Vancouver.

"We occasionally see folks who have infections that we essentially don't have any antibiotics left to treat."

Bowie says most bacteria infections he sees result directly from consuming infected food.

This isn't the first time scientists have raised concerns about antibiotics in the food chain. But the recent three studies have added fuel to the charge.

"My recommendation, shared by many others, is that we ban the use of antibiotics in animal feed for economic purposes," says Gorbach. "We still allow them to be used to treat sick animals but we do not allow them to be used in healthy animals."

Although some producers are advertising their meat as "drug-free," other farmers say a ban will come at a cost. Without the use of drugs, it will take longer for animals to grow and consumers will eventually have to bear the brunt of additional production costs.

Dr. Yves Labbé represents the chicken farmers of Canada. He says feeding animals with low levels of antibiotics is both cheap and effective.

"This is a tremendous advantage for the consumer because they get a better product at a cheaper price."

In Canada, the federal Department of Health acknowledges the incidence of resistant bacteria. It has formed an advisory committee to look into the issue.

The group will make recommendations on a national surveillance system. Its report is expected in the new year.

Consumers can protect themselves. Cooking meat thoroughly kills the bacteria as does washing your hands and work surfaces after handling meat.