A study found that when mice infected with salmonella were given antibiotics they started spreading bacteria in their faeces much faster

Animals given antibiotics spread salmonella faster and could be a risk to health, US research indicates.

A study found that when mice infected with salmonella were given antibiotics they started spreading bacteria in their faeces much faster.

While concerns have been raised recently about whether the widespread use of antibiotics in animals might help the spread of drug-resistant superbugs, the scientists say their findings suggest another reason to restrict their use.

Denise Monack, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford and the study’s senior author. “If this holds true for livestock as well — and I think it will — it would have obvious public health implications.

“We need to think about the possibility that we’re not only selecting for antibiotic-resistant microbes, but also