Rare Superbugs May Be More Common Than Previously Believed

reports bacteria that carry extremely rare types of antibiotic resistance are more common in the US than previously thought, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers with the Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network conducted nationwide testing in 2017 to identify such superbugs. CBS News (4/3, Welch) reports on its website that the researchers found “221 instances of unusual resistance,” such as “carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE).” According to the CBS, “unusual resistance” is defined as bacteria “that cannot be killed by all or most antibiotics; are currently uncommon in the US; or have specific genes that allow them to spread their resistance to other germs.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/antibiotic-resistant-nightmare-bacteria-a-growing-threat-in-the-u-s/