CDC Estimates 50,800 U.S. Deaths From Drug-Resistant Germs

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that drug-resistant pathogens caused 9.7 million infections and 50,800 deaths in the United States in 2023, according to its updated Antimicrobial Resistance Threats Report. The report classifies 19 pathogens as public health threats and identifies both improvements and continuing risks. The CDC placed four pathogens in its urgent category, 13 in the serious category and two in the concerning category. Six additional pathogens are on a watch list. The classifications assess threats including drug-resistant bacteria and fungi. Among the changes, the agency added drug-resistant Neisseria meningitidis, which can cause meningitis, as a serious threat. It downgraded Clostridioides difficile, or C. diff, from urgent to serious after rates declined and then remained stable. The CDC said C. diff continues to cause substantial illness, deaths and costs. Healthcare-associated infections accounted for more than 42,000 deaths in 2023, the report estimates, and were associated with nearly $12 billion in healthcare costs. The figures cover infections caused by pathogens commonly associated with healthcare settings; they do not mean...