Nightmare Bacteria Cases Soar by 70% in the US!

2025-09-24 00:00:35.215

Infection rates from drug-resistant "nightmare bacteria" surged almost 70% between 2019 and 2023 in the US, according to a new CDC report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The increase is primarily driven by bacteria carrying the NDM gene, which renders them resistant to most antibiotics; only two expensive IV antibiotics are effective. Once considered rare, cases have jumped more than fivefold. Experts express grave concern, noting the potential for community spread and the transformation of routine infections, like UTIs, into chronic problems. The rise is partly attributed to increased antibiotic use during the COVID-19 pandemic. CDC data, collected from 29 states, shows 4,341 carbapenem-resistant bacterial infections in 2023, with 1,831 being NDM-related. While the overall rate of carbapenem-resistant infections rose from under 2 per 100,000 to over 3 per 100,000, the rate of NDM cases increased by a staggering 460%. However, the data is incomplete, as many states lack comprehensive testing and reporting, underestimating the actual number of infections. The report follows a June CDC report highlighting a similar increase in NYC.