CDC: Drug-resistant germs cause 9.7M infections, 50,800 deaths yearly
CDC report finds drug-resistant bacteria and fungi cause 9.7 million US infections and 50,800 deaths annually, with four germs ranked urgent threats.
The story in focus
The CDC reported Tuesday that drug-resistant germs cause an estimated 9.7 million infections and 50,800 deaths each year in the U.S., calling antimicrobial resistance a growing public health threat. Four germs are classified as urgent threats, including Candida auris and drug-resistant gonorrhea.
- Drug-resistant germs cause 9.7 million infections and 50,800 deaths annually in the U.S., the CDC reported.
- Four germs are classified as urgent threats: Candida auris, drug-resistant gonorrhea, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter.
- Reported C. auris cases rose more than 50% from 2022 to 2023.
- Drug-resistant Neisseria meningitidis was newly classified as a serious threat.
- C. diff was downgraded to a serious threat; infection rates fell 21% between 2018 and 2020 and have remained stable.
Scope of the threat
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that drug-resistant bacteria and fungi cause an estimated 9.7 million infections and 50,800 deaths each year in the United States. The agency called antimicrobial resistance a growing threat to Americans and one of the most urgent public health problems it tracks.
CDC Director Dr. Erica Schwartz said in a press release that antimicrobial resistance threatens modern medicine and puts millions of Americans at risk annually.
Most urgent germs
Four germs carry the CDC's urgent classification. Candida auris, a fungus that can cause severe bloodstream infections, primarily affects seriously ill patients in hospitals and nursing homes and can spread through medical equipment such as breathing tubes or catheters. Reported C. auris cases jumped more than 50% from 2022 to 2023.
Drug-resistant gonorrhea caused an estimated 787,000 infections in 2023, the CDC said. Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, gut bacteria including E. coli, caused an estimated 14,878 infections and 1,252 deaths in hospitalized patients in 2023. Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter is the fourth urgent threat.
Monitoring and progress
Drug-resistant Neisseria meningitidis, which spreads through close contact in everyday settings, was newly classified as a serious threat. The CDC is tracking six germs on a watch list, including drug-resistant ringworm.
C. diff was downgraded to a serious threat after infection rates fell 21% between 2018 and 2020 and remained stable. Still, it caused an estimated 412,504 infections in 2023. Infections commonly acquired in healthcare settings accounted for nearly $12 billion in costs in 2023.
Which germs does the CDC classify as urgent threats?
Four: Candida auris, drug-resistant gonorrhea, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter. These carry the agency's highest threat level in its new report.
Sources & further reading
- CDC warns of rising threat of drug-resistant germs, which kill 50,000 people per year ↗NBC News
- Drug-resistant germs are 'growing threat' to US, causing more than 50,000 deaths annually: CDC ↗ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos
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