Antimicrobial Resistance Exploded in COVID’s Wake, CDC Reports
CDC reported on Tuesday, noting that such difficult-to-kill infections rose by 15 percent from 2019 to 2020.CDC data indicates a shocking rise in drug-resistant infections among people hospitalized during COVID’s first year, with pathogens like Enterococcus and Staphylococcus aureus making dangerous gains.
The bacteria Acinetobacter saw a 78 percent increase in infections resistant to the antibiotic Carbapenem.More than 29,400 people died in 2020 from antimicrobial-resistant infections commonly associated with health care.“This setback can and must be temporary,” said Michael Craig, MPP, Director of CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance Coordination & Strategy Unit, in a statement. “The COVID-19 pandemic has unmistakably shown us that antimicrobial resistance will not stop if we let down our guard; there is no time to waste.
The best way to avert a pandemic caused by an antimicrobial-resistant pathogen is to identify gaps and invest in prevention to keep our nation safe.”Infections resistant to antifungal treatment also rose significantly in 2020 — 60 percent, according to CDC data.
The Infectious Diseases Society of America swiftly released a statement in response to the CDC’s report:"Federal funding is needed for CDC’s antimicrobial resistance programs, including surveillance and prevention,” Daniel P.
