A new study by Public Health England (PHE), which is being funded by the Department of Health will, for the first time, establish the most significant reservoirs of drug resistant bacteria. The strain under investigation, known as ESBL-positive E. coli, is a cause of human illness in the UK.

The investigation was launched on Wednesday (3^rd July), in a bid to inform policy on tackling the bacteria. PHE said, its findings "will help to develop intervention strategies in efforts to reduce the numbers of infections such as urinary tract infections or blood poisoning, caused by these bacteria." The public health body is receiving assistance from the Universities of Cardiff, Glasgow and East Anglia, Queen Mary's University, London and AHVLA in its work.

Work will involve determining whether livestock farming is a significant cause of the bacteria's development or spread. The study will look at sewage, farm slurry and raw meat to determine whether there are any potential risks to human health from these 'reservoirs'.

Researchers will also investigate whether the resistant bacteria has 'colonised' hospital patients showing no signs of illness; PHE said E. coli is a bacterium that lives in the guts of humans and many other animals – colonisation of the gut by E. coli is perfectly normal and is harmless, although some other types cause diarrhoea. However, E. coli is also the commonest cause of urinary tract and bloodstream infections, which usually require antibiotic treatment.

Not all types of ESBL-positive E. coli bacteria cause disease in humans, and PHE said the contribution to human disease made by resistant strains of bacteria originating in animals, meat and other 'environmental' sources is not well understood.

Nevertheless, resistant strains of E. coli are an increasing problem; the growing number of resistant bacteria is limiting the treatment options open to doctors.

Professor Neil Woodford, Head of the Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections Reference Unit at PHE, said, "The risks posed to human health by resistant E. coli from non-human reservoirs are not fully understood. This study will help to disentangle this complex interrelationship. This study is very important because its results will help to shape future intervention strategies to reduce the spread of these antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria and to reduce the numbers of infections that they cause."

However, Soil Association policy adviser Richard Young said there is already a clear body of evidence showing that livestock-associated resistant bacteria is a cause for grave concern. He said that, while the organic farming group welcomed the commitment to improving understanding, the new research, which will take three years to complete, should not be used as an excuse to delay action on the improper and excessive use of antibiotics in farming.

Young said, "The UK poultry industry stopped using all cephalosporins antibiotics in January 2012 to limit the spread of ESBL E.coli in chickens. We now need the pig and dairy sectors to take similar action on modern cephalosporins antibiotics in particular."

Conservative backbencher Zac Goldsmith has also been outspoken on the subject. During a debate on antibiotic resistance in Parliament earlier this year, Mr Goldsmith said, "factory farming interests have wielded enormous influence on government policy for many years" and suggested that any progressive moves on antibiotic use in agriculture will be "fiercely resisted by them." He added, "If we continue to ignore the risks for fear of upsetting vested interests, we will be complicit in robbing future generations of one of the greatest discoveries of our species."