infection

CDC Reports Significant Increase in Drug-Resistant Bacteria, NDM-CRE

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a ample increase in cases of Neisseria gonorrhoeae carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (NDM-CRE), a hazardous type of drug-resistant bacteria. This rise is raising concerns among public health officials due too the limited treatment options available.

According to CDC data originally published in a 2022 report, approximately 12,700 infections and 1,100 deaths in the United States were attributed to this drug-resistant bacteria in 2020. A more recent CDC report, released in June, detailed increasing cases in New York City between 2019 and 2024.

NDM-CRE bacteria are especially arduous to treat because they exhibit resistance to many of the most powerful antibiotics currently available. “This makes these ‘superbug’ bacteria very hard to treat as they’re resistant to some of the strongest antibiotics we have,” explained Shruti Gohil, associate professor of infectious diseases at UC Irvine School of Medicine. Treatment options are thus limited, perhaps leading to slower recovery times and a heightened risk of severe complications or death.

While NDM-CRE doesn’t typically cause symptoms in those who carry the bacteria, infection can manifest as pneumonia, bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections, or wound infections. Symptoms vary depending on the infection site, and can include fever, chills with cough, shortness of breath (in lung infections), and pain or blood in the urine (in bladder/kidney infections).

The CDC has not definitively identified the cause of the surge in NDM-CRE cases.However, Neha Nanda, medical director of antimicrobial stewardship with USC’s Keck Medicine, noted an association with antibiotic use in COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic.

Public health officials emphasize that NDM-CRE has not been historically common in the U.S., meaning healthcare providers may not immediately consider it when diagnosing bacterial infections. The CDC warns that the increasing prevalence of NDM-CRE “threatens to increase NDM-CRE-related infections and deaths.”

Testing for NDM-CRE is absolutely possible, but is not routinely recommended. Individuals at higher risk include those with a history of hospitalization (particularly abroad), frequent antibiotic use, prolonged hospital stays, or invasive medical procedures, and also those who have been in contact with someone known to have the bacteria. Furthermore, many healthcare facilities lack the rapid detection tools necessary to identify the bacteria in all patients.

Experts attribute the rise of NDM-CRE to the overuse of antibiotics. They suggest a shift in patient expectations regarding antibiotic prescriptions.”I think this might potentially be an opportunity for us to change the narrative where all patients typically want antibiotics,” Nanda stated. She advises patients to ask their healthcare provider about the necessity of antibiotics, explore choice treatment options, and use antibiotics judiciously if they are deemed necessary.

To help prevent the spread of NDM-CRE, particularly in healthcare settings like hospitals and long-term care facilities, experts recommend frequent handwashing and avoiding contact with contaminated surfaces for patients, healthcare staff, and visitors.