State microbe is noteworthy because it is: the first significant antibiotic discovered after penicillin; the first systemic antibiotic discovered in America; the first antibiotic active against tuberculosis; first-line treatment for plague. Moreover, New Jersey was the home of Selman Waksman, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his systematic studies of antibiotic production by "S. griseus" and other soil microbes. On May 15, 2017, Senate Bill 3190 (S3190) was introduced by Senator Samuel D. Thompson (R-12); the bill designates "Streptomyces griseus" as the New Jersey State Microbe, to be added to the state's other state symbols. On June
Antibiotic use in livestock common foods harboring these pathogens. There is evidence that a large proportion of resistant "E. coli" isolates causing blood stream infections in people are from livestock produced as food. When manure from antibiotic-fed swine is used as fertilizer elsewhere, the manure may be contaminated with bacteria which can infect humans. Studies have also shown that direct contact with livestock can lead to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from animals to humans. Sampling of retail meats such as turkey, chicken, pork and beef consistently show high levels of Enterobacteriaceae. Rates of resistant bacteria in these meats are high as well. Sources