MRSA superbug found in supermarket pork raises alarm over farming risks

Pork sold by several leading British supermarkets has been found to be contaminated

Pork sold by several leading British supermarkets has been found to be contaminated with a strain of the superbug MRSA bacteria.

Many people carry the bacteria without any signs of illness, but some have developed skin complaints, and the bug can cause life-threatening infections, including pneumonia and blood poisoning.

The superbug CC398 is a variant of the more commonly known MRSA found in hospitals and is endemic in pig farms in some European countries, particularly Denmark, Europe’s biggest pork producer and a key exporter to the UK. The Guardian tested 74 Danish pork products and 25 British, and one from Ireland.