The CDC warns of a sharp rise in dangerous drug-resistant bacteria. How to protect yourself

Infection rates in the U.S. are soaring in the U.S. due to “resistance to some of the strongest antibiotics available,” prompting infectious disease experts to warn of difficulties in the surge.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned in a report this week that bacterial infections caused by “superworm” bacteria, known as NDM-produced Enterobacter carbon fiber (NDM-CRE), soared more than 460% in US between 2019 and 2023.

NDM-CRE is a bacteria with special genes that break down powerful antibiotics, making most drug treatments ineffective, said Shruti Gohil, associate professor of infectious diseases at UC Irvine Medical School.

“This makes these ‘super bacteria’ bacteria difficult to treat because they are resistant to some of the strongest antibiotics we have,” Gohil said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s findings were originally published in a 2022 report, noting that in 2020, there were approximately 12,700 infections and 1,100 deaths in the United States due to the drug-resistant bacteria.

Public health agencies have not determined the exact cause of the surge. However, there is an association involving the use of antibiotics to treat Covid-19 patients at the beginning of the pandemic.

Public health officials warn that NDM-CRE is not common in U.S. history, so healthcare providers may not doubt it when treating patients with bacteria-related infections.

The CDC said the rise of bacteria also “threats increasing infections and deaths associated with NDM-CRE.”

This is the second report released by the CDC that highlights the rise in bacteria-related cases, with the latest published in June focusing on cases in New York City between 2019 and 2024.

What are the available treatments for NDM-CRE?

Experts say patients with NDM-CRE bacteria will not experience any symptoms unless they develop an infection. Once an infection occurs, the symptoms will vary. NDM-CRE can cause diseases such as pneumonia, blood infection, urinary tract infection and wound infection.

Certain symptoms may include fever, chills in coughs, if bacteria infect the lungs, shortness of breath, and pain or blood when injected into the bladder/kidney.

Because bacteria are resistant to most antibiotics, treatment options are severely limited, resulting in slower recovery and a higher risk of severe complications or death, Gohil said.

Another reason health officials are concerned is that bacteria can spread to others and survive on contaminated surfaces.

Experts say doctors can test NDM-CRE, but most people don’t need to do the test unless they suffer from higher risks.

Those at risk are “in hospitals (especially in another country), people who have had multiple antibiotics, hospitalizations or invasive medical procedures, or if you are sick and come into contact with someone who is known to have NDM-CRE”.

Testing bacteria is also difficult, as many hospitals and clinics also do not have bacteria that patients quickly detect in patients.

How to protect yourself from NDM-CRE

NDM-CRE is caused by overuse of powerful antibiotics.

“I think this may be an opportunity for us to change the narrative that all patients usually want antibiotics,” Nanda said.

Nanda recommends patients who are prescribing antibiotics to ask their healthcare provider:

• Why do they prescribe antibiotics? Why is it necessary?
• Ask for your choice. Before using antibiotics directly, make sure you have exhausted all other treatments.

“You need it if you need it, but there is no certainty about it,” she said.

Since NDM-CRE infection occurs in patients, hospitals or patients in long-term care, experts advise patients, healthcare workers and visitors in these cases to wash their hands and avoid contact with dirty surfaces.