New CDC Report Confirms Growing Threat of Antibiotic Resistance

Data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reinforces the growing threat of antibiotic resistance in the United States. As shared on the agency website, “More than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the U.S. each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result.” In a new report, the CDC organizes 18 antibiotic-resistant bacteria and fungi into three categories “based on level of concern to human health—urgent, serious, and concerning.”

A STAT article describes the problem as “substantially greater than previously estimated,” emphasizing that physicians and healthcare providers “need to stop thinking of difficult to treat or untreatable infections as a future” issue. Antibiotic stewardship is now required in many healthcare settings, but, according to the CDC, “Resistance is still too high,” requiring “more action …  to fully protect people.” These statistics confirm that microbial threats are already causing fatalities, and, as summarized by CARB-X’s Kevin Outterson, “Society needs to do its utmost to try to prevent and control spread of drug-resistant bugs.”

MLMIC encourages all of our insured facilities and providers to review the CDC’s report, continue to be judicious in the use of antibiotics and vigilant in their efforts to identify and treat antibiotic-resistant infections.