Researchers spanning the globe are continually working to combat antibiotic-resistant organisms, with providers facing more pressure to limit antibiotic prescriptions.
Here are six things to know about antibiotic resistance, based on CDC data.
1. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria and fungus infect nearly 2.1 million Americans annually.
2. CDC estimates report antibiotic-resistance bacteria and fungus kill 23,000 people throughout the United States every year.
3. Clostridium dificile causes 250,000 illnesses annually in the United States.
4. Each year, more than 14,000 Americans die from Clostridium dificile.
5. The majority of antibiotic resistance-related deaths occur in healthcare settings, like hospitals and nursing homes.
6. Researchers first identified antibiotic-resistant penicillin-R Staphylococcus in 1940, and have since identified multiple types of antibiotic-resistant organisms over the last several decades. In 2011, researchers identified antibiotic-resistant ceftaroline-R Staphylococcus.
