CDC Warns ‘Unusual Antibiotic Resistance’ is Widespread

A new report published online in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vital Signs reveals that the CDC and health departments across the country identified more than 220 instances of germs with “unusual” antibiotic-resistant genes last year. Anne Schuchat, MD, principal deputy director of the CDC, called it “reassuring” that the resistant bacteria were identified because that’s the first step toward finding new ways to kill them. The report also notes that one in four germ samples sent to the CDC’s Antibiotic Resistant Lab Network for testing had “special genes” (defined as those that “cannot be killed by all or most antibiotics”) that allow them to spread their resistance to other germs. The CDC’s containment strategy calls for rapid identification of resistance, infection control assessments, testing patients without symptoms who may carry and spread the germ, and continued infection control assessments until spread is stopped—all of which requires a coordinated response among healthcare providers (including urgent care operators), labs, health departments and CDC through its AR Lab Network.