Researchers in Texas stated that Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are becoming airborne. They said they have even traced their source to Texas cattle ranches.

Researchers of Tech University discovered this after deeply examining particulate matter in the air. They found that antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotics in the samples that were collected from a place downwind from cattle ranches.

Health experts expressing their concerns about these bacteria said that bacteria should be easily carried by the wind. They further said that these bacteria can go to populated areas and might pose threats to the treatments for potentially deadly diseases.

Earlier conducted studies showed that too much antibiotics were used in cattle to increase their lives and improve yields.

The researchers in the study analyzed 10 cattle yards near Lubbock, Texas and found that all of the samples contain antibiotic oxytetracycline. Almost 60% of the samples contained tetracycline and chlortetracycline, Popular Science reported.

Environmental toxicology researchers at Texas Tech University said, “To our knowledge, this study is among the first to detect and quantify antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant genes ... associated with airborne PM emitted from beef cattle feed yards”.

They further added that emergence of superbugs that are resistant to antibiotics can easily be traced in cattle stocks given antibiotics.

Tech Times further reported that around 2 million people in the United States get sick with drug-resistant superbugs, and an estimated 23,000 die due to these diseases. Infections caused due to these superbugs so far have no treatments, said researchers.

Even if studies conducted could not determine how far these particulates could travel, researchers are hoping that future researches would focus on the distance these microorganisms could travel and ways on how to halt potential health threats in the air.