Chinese school children are frequently exposed to low doses of antibiotics found in their environment and food, Health News, a national health newspaper, reported on Tuesday.

Researchers tested 1,064 school children of 8 to 11 years old in Shanghai, the east China provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang for 18 antibiotics with all types detected.

Testing urine samples, the antibiotics were detected in 58.3 percent of the children surveyed, the Fudan University study, published in the international journal, Environmental Sciences & Technology, found.

It also found antibiotics which have been discontinued in clinical use for years. The study suggested contaminated food and the environment were likely the source of antibiotic exposure, as these non-clinical antibiotics are prevalent in food and the environment.

Exposure to antibiotics results in drug resistance and potential harm to health. The research team will further explore the impact of antibiotic exposure to human health, the Health News said. Endi

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