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The CDC's latest Antimicrobial Resistance Threats Report reveals a dramatic rise in drug-resistant infections in the US, with an estimated 9.7 million infections and 50,800 deaths annually — up from 2.8 million infections and 35,000 deaths reported in 2019. Candida auris and carbapenem-resistant bacteria top the urgent threats list. Experts warn that without effective antibiotics, the foundations of modern medicine are at risk.
The CDC's updated Antimicrobial Resistance Threats Report paints a sobering picture: drug-resistant pathogens now cause an estimated 9.7 million infections and 50,800 deaths in the US each year, a steep jump from the 2.8 million infections and 35,000 deaths reported in 2019. While the CDC cautions that updated data sources and methodologies make direct comparisons tricky, officials are clear — real increases are happening, particularly in healthcare settings, where resistant infections cost the system over $12 billion annually.
The report flags 19 pathogens across urgent, serious, and concerning threat tiers. Candida auris, a nearly untreatable fungus, saw a tenfold increase in cases since 2019, while carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) rose 18% in hospitals. Drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae also remains an urgent concern. On a brighter note, C. difficile was downgraded from urgent to serious, with infections declining 9% from 2018 to 2023 — a win credited to better infection control and antibiotic stewardship.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Antimicrobial resistance isn't just an infectious disease problem — it threatens the safety of surgeries, cancer treatments, organ transplants, and virtually every corner of modern medicine. Experts and the IDSA are calling on Congress to pass the PASTEUR Act to fund new antibiotic development and stewardship programs before the crisis deepens.
