“CDC estimates show that if only 20% effective, the containment strategy can reduce the number of nightmare bacteria [CRE] cases by 76% over 3 years in one area.”
Due to the nature of antibiotic resistance and its ability to spread, this poses a significant public health threat. Antibiotics are not simply used to treat infections but are a safety net that is used in cancer treatment, surgery, and ICU care, Dr. Schuchat pointed out. The rise of antibiotic resistance is a threat to that safety net and accounts for nearly 2,000,000 antibiotic resistant infections and approximately 23,000 deaths per year.
But aggressive responses to these infections can control their spread. Dr. Schuchat used the analogy of controlling a fire to illustrate the concept.
“Much like a fire, finding and stopping unusual resistance early when it’s just a spark protects people.”
