CDC Ramps Up the Fight Against Antibiotic Resistance

Although efforts to combat antibiotic resistance are working, there’s more to be done, according to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report. The CDC made investments throughout the United States and Puerto Rico to enhance laboratory and epidemiology expertise, and increase public health innovations to slow the spread of resistant pathogens. Noting more than 170 state-reported successes, CDC officials say that 38 states and two cities currently use whole genome sequencing to monitor for outbreaks and identify antibiotic-resistant Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Escherichia coli. When outbreaks are detected, local CDC-supported epidemiologists investigate the cases to quickly halt the spread of resistance. Since 2016, the CDC has provided $144 million to state and local health departments, and invested $76 million in more than 60 universities and health care partners to develop strategies to stop or contain the spread of resistant infections

From Decisions in Dentistry. July 2018;4(7):7.