Mary Henry (Independent)

Like Senator Maurice Hayes, I would like to see the debate on MRSA widened, as the bug is a serious issue. While poor hygiene allows MRSA to spread, the issue is one of the overuse and abuse of antibiotics. This ties into the issue of factory farming, particularly in respect of poultry because the feed used contains substances called growth promoters, which are antibiotics. While they are not those given to humans, we must examine the issue in terms of the development of numerous human and animal resistant strains, not just resistant staphylococcus aureus. I would support a debate on the issue, but we must broaden it.