Antibiotic-resistant superbug infections hit all-time high in the US

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed that more Americans are being infected by antibiotic-resistant superbugs than ever before.

According to the recently released figures, fungi and bacteria that do not respond to standard antibiotics are the cause of 2.8 million infections and 35,000 deaths in the US each year. If this takes into account C. difficile, a bacterium which is not typically resistant but that can cause life-threatening diarrhoea, it brings the figure up to over three million infections and 48,000 fatalities.

This indicates a 50 percent rise in infections since the CDC’s report in 2013, but an 18 per cent rise in overall deaths.

Although the agency acknowledges that great strides have been made in preventing the spread of infections and germs, especially within healthcare settings, officials say the progress could be lost without further action.

Dr Robert Redfield, director of the CDC, said “Today’s report shows that antibiotic resistance is a larger threat than previously estimated, and this deadly threat is not going away.

“Antibiotic resistance threatens both our nation’s health and our global security.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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