High risk of germ infections in popular tourist destinations

Tenerife.Photo: Norway Today Media

There has been a strong increase in the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in typical holiday destination for Norwegians, like Italy, Cyprus and Bulgaria.

The newspaper Nationen, who reported on Tuesday  that every tenth healthy Norwegian carries potentially deadly, antibiotic resistant bacteria. Public Health (FHI) think Norwegians mainly “catch” these bacteria on trips abroad.
Figures from the European infection control authority ECDC shows that around 30 to 40 percent of the population in countries such as Italy, Cyprus and Bulgaria are carriers of bacteria that are resistant to ESBL bacteria – the most common type of resistance among Norwegians.
In EU / EEA  about 25,000 people annually  die of antibiotic resistance. Experts warn that  Norwegian tourists need to take care when in foreign hospitals and especially when eating food.
– Part of the charm of traveling abroad is in eating local food, but the risk of “catching” antibiotic resistant bacteria from local food is particularly high, chief physician at Oslo University,  Dr. Dag Berild, said.
Researcher and veterinary Leon Cantas agrees and adds that Norwegian tourists have to make sure that the food is heat treated and avoid drinking tap water.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today