Researchers have discovered a rare and frightening superbug gene on a U.S. pig farm, sending a strong warning that raw meat can spread the life-threatening germs to humans.

So far no pigs have been slaughtered yet for carrying the gene and no threats to humans have been reported, as researchers announced. However, they still had no idea how the gene could get into the farm, NBC writes.

The findings were published in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

Thomas Wittum, leader of the veterinary medicine team at The Ohio State University explained that his team didn't know how the gene, called bla IMP-27, reached the farm.

He hoped that the team will take anticipative measures to prevent it from spreading. In addition, he elaborated the possible risk is that these are food animals that are sold as fresh pork products.

Bla IMP-27 provides the bacteria the ability to contain the side effects of antibiotics called carbapenems, which are considered the last resort of an antibiotic. Germs resistant to the effects can't be easily tackled.

Carbapenem antibiotics have been prohibited for use in animals to reduce the risk from antibiotic resistance that may develop in animals then transmit it to humans. However, there have been no resistance-related problems spotted on American farms until now, while the problems have been previously identified among European and Asian livestock, as CBS writes.

The risk itself was already seen in 2015 after a screening of an American pig farm for five months. From there, researchers concluded the risk of antibiotic resistance has been exist in U.S farms.

Elizabeth Scott, chair of the department of public health at Simmons College in Boston, said she wasn't surprised by the latest findings. She warned that the antibiotic resistance raises a huge concern and poses a threat to public health in general.

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