The Threat
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its “landmark” report in September 2013 on the rising and lethal threat of antibiotic resistance, titled Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2013.
The report describes a complex problem and the steps that must be taken to prevent catastrophic consequences.
In it, experts describe “what happens when the microbes can outsmart our best antibiotics,” explained CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, at a press conference. He elaborated by describing his hope that the report will prioritize pathogens and propel action to curb antibiotic resistance.
“We see this as a landmark report. In writing it, we set out to paint the big picture of antimicrobial resistance,” said Steve Solomon, MD, director of the CDC’s Office of Microbial Resistance, in an interview with Medscape.
Often discussions of antimicrobial resistance suggest resistance is a problem of other people in other places. “This report clearly shows that antimicrobial resistance is happening here,” said Dr. Frieden.
Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2013. CDC. Published online September 16, 2013. Full text
Antibiotic Resistance is ‘Catastrophic’ in the U.K.
Steps to Take Now
- 8 Ways to Deal With Antibiotic Resistance
- Antimicrobial Resistance: The Big Picture
- Antibiotic Resistance is All Around Us
- Antibiotics for Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae: The End is Near (slideshow)
- How to Prevent C difficile Infection: A New Guide
