Intuctible superbacteria infections grow 460% in the US in 4 years

CDC has not yet identified exact reasons for increasing infections by superbacteria, but believes bad hygiene is part of the problem. The institution points out that control failures such as hand hygiene, use of gloves and aprons during the treatment of patients in hospitals, outpatient clinics and offices, as well as proper disinfection are behind the increase.

In addition, the institution points out that lack of quick testing may be related. Many hospitals and clinics do not have tools to quickly detect NDM-CRE infections or the presence of bacteria in patients who have no symptoms. Delay in identifying the problem increases not only life -threatening but the chances of transmission to other patients.

Pandemic has worsened the situation and now a consequences of stress in the health system are seen. In June, the CDC published a report that reported that 58 cases of NDM-CRE were registered only in New York City in 2019; In 2024, this number jumped to 388. It is important to note that New York was one of the main COVID-19 epidemic outbreaks and the CDC estimates that tests and care were neglected during the contagion peak.

Antibiotic abuse may also have aggravated the spread of superbacteria; From March to October 2020, almost 80% of COVID-19 patients received antibiotics, according to the CDC. Susan S. Huang, professor of infectious diseases at the University of California in Irvine, told The Washington Post that doctors prescribed the remedies “out of despair and false hope” that Covid-19 would be caused by bacteria at the beginning of the pandemic. And antibiotics only work against bacteria, not against the virus that causes the disease.

When antibiotics are purposeless data, they merely kill our intestinal bacteria and allow room for any resistant bacteria to propagate. This allows NDM-CRE to multiply and increase the risk of causing an infection. Susan S. Huang, to the “Washington Post”

Although common, the paintings caused by these superbacteria “are extremely difficult to treat and can be fatal,” warns the CDC. There are few antibiotics that can be effective against the NDM-CRE.