"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned in a report this week that between 2019 and 2023, bacterial infections caused by a "super bug" bacteria dubbed NDM-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (NDM-CRE) surged by more than 460% in the U.S. The NDM-CRE is a type of bacteria with a special gene that can break down powerful antibiotics rendering most drug treatments ineffective, said Shruti Gohil, associate professor of infectious diseases at UC Irvine School of Medicine."
"The CDC's findings, originally published in a 2022 report, noted that there were approximately 12,700 infections and 1,100 deaths in the U.S. in 2020 due to this drug-resistant bacteria. The public health agency did not determine the exact reason for the surge; however, there is an association involving the use of antibiotics to treat COVID-19 patients in the beginning of the pandemic, said Neha Nanda, medical director of antimicrobial stewardship with USC's Keck Medicine."
NDM-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (NDM-CRE) infections in the U.S. rose more than 460% between 2019 and 2023. NDM-CRE carries a gene that can inactivate powerful antibiotics, rendering most treatments ineffective and complicating clinical response. The CDC estimated roughly 12,700 infections and 1,100 deaths in 2020 linked to this resistance. The agency did not identify a single cause for the surge but noted an association with antibiotic use early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Low historical prevalence in the U.S. means clinicians may not suspect NDM-CRE, increasing risk of undetected spread and worse outcomes.
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