Studies find 'super bacteria' in Rio's Olympic venues, top beaches

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Life | Fri Jun 10, 2016 7:35pm EDT

Exclusive: Studies find 'super bacteria' in Rio's Olympic venues, top beaches

RIO DE JANEIRO | BY BRAD BROOKS

Scientists have found dangerous drug-resistant "super bacteria" off beaches in Rio de Janeiro that will host Olympic swimming events and in a lagoon where rowing and canoe athletes will compete when the Games start on Aug. 5.

The findings from two unpublished academic studies seen by Reuters concern Rio's most popular spots for tourists and greatly increase the areas known to be infected by the microbes normally found only in hospitals.

They also heighten concerns that Rio's sewage-infested waterways are unsafe.

A study published in late 2014 had shown the presence of the super bacteria - classified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an urgent public health threat - off one of the beaches in Guanabara Bay, where sailing and wind-surfing events will be held during the Games.

The first of the two new studies, reviewed in September by scientists at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in San Diego, showed the presence of the microbes at five of Rio's showcase beaches, including the ocean-front Copacabana, where open-water and triathlon swimming will take place.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-rio-superbacteria-exclusive-idUSKCN0YW2E8

[jberryhill]

1. Maybe they can get the bacteria to go after the Aedes Aegypti mosquitos

[HooptieWagon]

2. Already athletes there for training have been robbed at gunpoint by youth gangs.

The whole games are going to be a clusterfuck. The IOC needs to be investigated...very likely they're as corrupt as FIFA.

[Jnclr89]

5. Have you seen the Best Gore site? Brazil is a total hell hole

It's all about Brazil, and the hell hole it is. That country sucks the most in the entire world. Why would the Olympics be ever held there?

[hedda_foil]

3. For heaven's sake, IOC, pull the damn plug on Rio.

[Jnclr89]

4. It makes you wonder if this is the new Aids

I wish the Olympics where not there this year

[Invincibility]

6. This is ridiculous

A place like RIO has no business hosting the olympic games. I already thought China was pushing it with their pollution issues. Rio is gonna be a mess. Crime/Diseases/Filthy conditions etc.

[Initech]

7. Am I the only one frightened when it sounds like that bacteria could kill Godzilla?

[winstars]

8. Was there 2 months ago and the water is utter crap. Really filthy. Sorry but I saw with these eyes

some really dirty water. They just don't have the sewage treatment plants and the anti-polution laws we have here. (until a President Trump rolls back all Clean Air and Water regs that is...)

So many other countries have terrible air and water and I always try to point out to others with me thats our country if the pugs had their way...