50,000 deaths a year: The health threat worrying the US

A new CDC report reveals that drug-resistant bacteria and fungi are responsible for approximately 50,800 deaths annually in the US. The threats include the fungus Candida auris and bacteria resistant to strong antibiotics.

A new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that drug-resistant bacteria and fungi, along with an additional bacterial infection linked to antibiotic use, are responsible for approximately 9.7 million infections and about 50,800 deaths each year in the United States. The report, published yesterday (Tuesday), examined 19 bacterial and fungal pathogens. Four were classified as urgent threats, 13 as serious threats, and two as concerning threats. Key threats include the fungus Candida auris, which spreads in hospitals, and bacteria resistant to carbapenems. The CDC emphasizes that changes in calculation methods prevent direct comparison with previous reports to infer an increase in morbidity. The article notes that the risk of severe infection among healthy individuals is considered low.