Researchers say they found naturally occurring antibiotic-resistant bacteria at 20 isolated prairie sites in southeastern Nebraska.
The joint University of Nebraska-Lincoln and U-S Department of Agriculture team says nearly half of the soil samples tested showed resistance to two or more common antibiotic drugs.
Microbiologist Lisa Durso says the findings show agriculture production is not creating antibiotic-resistance.

Durso says agriculture production is often blamed for creating antibiotic-resistance, but it actually happens naturally.

Durso says testing at other pristine site around the world found the same thing.
Her research team’s next step is take samples from agricultural land for testing.