CDC Updates Data on Antibiotic Resistance—and Related Deaths—Again

We told you recently that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised its estimate of the number of American who die every year from an antibiotic-resistant infections (from the long-held total of 23,000 to around 35,000 deaths). Just last week, however, the CDC revealed that the actual number is thought to be 44,000 deaths annually, out of 3 million people who become ill with resistant infections. At the same time, though, prevention efforts like those undertaken by the Urgent Care Association have also increased. In its latest announcement, the CDC noted there are currently 18 antibiotic-resistant bacteria or fungi that are ranked as urgent, serious, or concerning. The full CDC report is available here. For a specifically urgent care perspective, read Stopping the Rise of Antibiotic Resistance: An Urgent Care Imperative in the JUCM archive.