NEW YORK (AP) — The number of drug-resistant “superbug” infections has worsened during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. health officials said Tuesday. After years of decline, 2020 saw a 15 percent increase in hospital-acquired infections and deaths caused by some of the most worrisome bacterial infections, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Arjun Srinivasan, an expert at the CDC, called it “an amazing turnaround” that he hopes was a one-year blip. CDC officials believe several factors may have caused the spike, including how COVID-19 was handled when it first hit the U.S. in early 2020. Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microbes such as bacteria and fungi gain the power to fight off drugs that were designed to kill them. Misuse of antibiotics was a big reason—incomplete or unnecessary prescriptions that didn’t kill germs made them stronger. Before the pandemic, health officials said superbug infections in the U.S. appeared to be on the decline. Deaths fell 18 percent between 2012 and 2017, when about 36,000 Americans died from drug-resistant infections. The government credits hospitals for using antibiotics more judiciously and for isolating patients who may spread the germs. The CDC does not have 2020 data for all superbugs, in part because health officials had to focus on COVID-19. However, it has data from seven types of bacterial and fungal infections found in hospital patients, including MRSA and a bug called CRE known as the “nightmare bacteria.” The CDC noted an increase of 15% or more in infections and deaths from this group of germs. One possible reason: From March to October 2020, nearly 80% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 received an antibiotic, CDC officials said. The use of certain types of antibiotics has increased as doctors have aggressively used a variety of drugs to fight not only the coronavirus but also bacterial co-infections that can overtake their debilitated patients. By 2021, overall antibiotic use has declined. And Srinivasan noted that the use of catheters, ventilators and other medical devices may also decrease. These devices, used in critically ill patients, can invade the patient’s body for drug-resistant germs. But any increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations — like the one seen in the U.S. today — increases that risk, he said.
The Associated Press Health & Science Section is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Science Education Division. AP is solely responsible for all content. Mike Stobbe, The Associated Press
title: “Infections From Supermicrobial Diseases Deaths Increased At The Beginning Of The Pandemic " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-01” author: “Michael Romero”
After years of decline, 2020 saw a 15 percent increase in hospital-acquired infections and deaths caused by some of the most worrisome bacterial infections, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Arjun Srinivasan, an expert at the CDC, called it “an amazing turnaround” that he hopes was a one-year blip. CDC officials believe several factors may have caused the spike, including how COVID-19 was handled when it first hit the U.S. in early 2020. Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microbes such as bacteria and fungi gain the power to fight off drugs that were designed to kill them. Misuse of antibiotics was a big reason—incomplete or unnecessary prescriptions that didn’t kill germs made them stronger. Before the pandemic, health officials said superbug infections in the U.S. appeared to be on the decline. Deaths fell 18 percent between 2012 and 2017, when about 36,000 Americans died from drug-resistant infections. The government credits hospitals for using antibiotics more judiciously and for isolating patients who may spread the germs. The CDC does not have 2020 data for all superbugs, in part because health officials had to focus on COVID-19. However, it has data from seven types of bacterial and fungal infections found in hospital patients, including MRSA and a bug called CRE known as the “nightmare bacteria.” The CDC noted an increase of 15% or more in infections and deaths from this group of germs. One possible reason: From March to October 2020, nearly 80% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 received an antibiotic, CDC officials said. The use of certain types of antibiotics has increased as doctors have aggressively used a variety of drugs to fight not only the coronavirus but also bacterial co-infections that can overtake their debilitated patients. By 2021, overall antibiotic use has declined. And Srinivasan noted that the use of catheters, ventilators and other medical devices may also decrease. These devices, used in critically ill patients, can invade the patient’s body for drug-resistant germs. But any increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations — like the one seen in the U.S. today — increases that risk, he said. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says omicron BA.4 and BA.5 are troublesome. (Source: White House/CNN)
The Associated Press Health & Science Section is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Science Education Division. AP is solely responsible for all content. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
