‘Nightmare Bacteria’ Infections surge in US, CDC Warns
Washington D.C. – Cases of drug-resistant bacteria are rapidly increasing across the United States, prompting concern from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A new report reveals a important rise in both carbapenem-resistant infections and, more alarmingly, infections caused by New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM) producing organisms – often referred to as ”nightmare bacteria” due to their resistance to most antibiotics.
The rate of carbapenem-resistant infections climbed from just under 2 per 100,000 people in 2019 to over 3 per 100,000 in 2023,representing a 69% increase. Simultaneously, NDM cases saw a dramatic surge, rising from approximately 0.25 to 1.35 per 100,000 – a 460% increase over the same period, according to the report’s authors.
Carbapenems are a class of antibiotics frequently used as a last-resort treatment for severe infections. The growing resistance to these drugs raises the prospect of common infections, like urinary tract infections, becoming significantly harder to treat.
The CDC has increasingly focused attention on these multi-drug resistant organisms in recent years. Researchers caution that many individuals may unknowingly carry these bacteria, potentially contributing to wider community spread.
“It’s likely many people are unrecognised carriers…which could lead to community spread,” the CDC scientists warned. dr. maroya Walters, one of the report’s authors, expressed concern that infections previously considered routine could become more challenging to combat.
Antimicrobial resistance develops when bacteria and fungi evolve to withstand the drugs intended to eliminate them. A key driver of this resistance is the misuse of antibiotics – including incomplete courses and needless prescriptions – which allows germs to strengthen and proliferate.
Dr. Jason Burnham, of Washington University, who was not involved in the study, suggested the increase is highly likely linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We know that there was a huge surge in antibiotic use during the pandemic, so this likely is reflected in increasing drug resistance,” he said.
The CDC’s data is currently incomplete, as not all states are fully reporting cases. Furthermore, testing is often limited to hospitalized patients wiht severe illnesses. The agency did not have data from California, Florida, New York, and Texas, indicating the actual number of infections is “definitely underestimated,” Dr. Burnham added.
The report did not include data on the number of deaths attributable to these infections.
