October 28, 2026Updated October 29, 2026, 11:19 a.m. ET
Germs that cannot be treated even with the strongest antibiotics are responsible for more than 50,000 deaths each year in the United States, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency’s Antimicrobial Resistance Threat Report, which tracks pathogens that pose a growing threat to Americans, was released Oct. 27 for the first time in seven years. It lists drug-resistant bacteria and fungi, with four classified as “urgent,” 13 as “serious threats” and two as “threats of concern.”
The 19 bacterial and fungal threats included in the report caused an estimated 9.7 million infections and 50,800 deaths annually in the United States, according to the report, and drug-resistant infections detected in healthcare settings were responsible for more than 42,000 deaths and generated more than $12 billion in costs.
These figures represent a significant increase from the last report in 2019, which confirmed 2.8 million infections. The CDC noted, however, that its methodologies and data sources have changed, so these reports may not constitute an individual comparison.
“These numbers are alarming by any measure, but they are especially concerning when infectious disease physicians relate real patients to these statistics in their daily experience,” Wendy S. Armstrong, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said in a statement. “Drug-resistant infections prolong hospital stays, increase health care costs, and make it increasingly difficult – and sometimes impossible – for doctors to safely provide care like cancer chemotherapy, organ transplants, hip and knee replacements, and other medical care and surgical procedures.”
The overuse or misuse of antibiotics has been considered one of the main factors behind the rise of drug-resistant germs, also known as “superbugs.” Sometimes the medications we use to treat certain illnesses stop working when the germs change. Microorganisms such as bacteria can mutate to become less sensitive, or even immune, to certain treatments, either naturally or in response to misuse of medications.
“Antimicrobial resistance threatens modern medicine and puts millions of Americans at risk each year,” CDC Director Dr. Erica Schwartz said in a statement.
The most urgent threats, according to the CDC
These four germs have been classified as “emergency” by the CDC, meaning they pose the greatest threat to Americans’ health.
- Candida auris (C. auris):C. auris is a fungus that grows like a budding yeast and is most commonly spread in health care settings, such as hospitals and long-term care facilities. It is spread by direct contact with an infected person or a contaminated surface. It does not occur naturally on your body like some other types of Candida.
- The fungus can cause serious illnesses, ranging from mild skin infections to life-threatening sepsis, USA TODAY previously reported. Generally speaking, people with healthy immune systems can fight off a C. auris infection, but those with weakened immune systems are at risk.
- Cases of C. auris infection have increased every year since 2019, with the largest annual increase occurring between 2022 and 2023, when cases increased by 53.7%. As of October 17, the United States had reported 6,762 confirmed cases, surpassing the 6,560 cases reported over the last year. While the total number of detected infections increases each year, the CDC said the rate of increase has decreased since 2022-2023.
- Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE): Earning the title of “nightmare bacteria,” CRE is a class of bacteria that has become resistant to carbapenems, some of the most powerful broad-spectrum antibiotics often used to treat infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria. “Enterobacteria” are a class of bacteria naturally found in the human and animal digestive tract, but can also cause infections, USA TODAY previously reported.
- CRE is often associated with hospital stays and clinical settings and can be spread through contact with contaminated hands, wounds, or feces, as well as contaminated medical equipment and devices.
- A 2025 CDC warning noted a sharp increase in these types of infections. A follow-up study found a 69% increase in carbapenem-resistant infections between 2019 and 2023 and attributed the increase to the presence of the NDM gene in large quantities of bacteria. This gene produces an enzyme that increases resistance to antibiotics; the study found a 460% increase in NDM-CRE infections between 2019 and 2023.
- Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter: Another class of bacteria like the CRE mentioned above. Also resistant to strong carbapenems, the “Acinetobacter” in the name refers to a type of bacteria common in the environment and on surfaces, including human skin. According to the CDC, it can cause infection almost anywhere in the body, including the lungs, wounds, urinary tract and blood.
- Like the aforementioned CRE, it is most commonly found in healthcare settings, such as hospitals or nursing homes. It is spread through contact with contaminated surfaces and equipment, and people can carry and spread the bacteria without knowing it.
- Drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the bacteria responsible for gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection. One of the most common STIs in the United States, gonorrhea can cause several more serious illnesses when left untreated, including pelvic inflammatory disease, life-threatening ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. Because it is treated with antibiotics, the high number of infections has led to widespread drug resistance.
- 543,409 cases of gonorrhea were confirmed in the United States in 2024, according to CDC data, which is actually a 9.6 percentage point decrease from 2023. While the numbers peaked in 2021 at 710,151, total infections fell 19.8 percentage points over the past five years.
Other “serious threats”
The “serious threats” category is broader than its predecessor, but contains a few notable points.
C. diff (Clostridioides difficile), one of the most feared infections in health care settings, has been downgraded to a “serious threat” as opposed to an “urgent threat” after years of public health efforts to curb its spread.
Drug-resistant forms of salmonella, shigella, streptococci, meningococci and tuberculosis were also on the list of concerns. Unlike most germs on the “urgent” list, some of them appear outside of healthcare settings. Meningococcus, for example, is usually spread from person to person through kissing, sharing drinks, or other close contact in everyday life; Meanwhile, drug-resistant Shigella has recently made headlines due to its sexually transmitted nature.
The report also included successful initiatives by the CDC and other health agencies to limit and reduce the spread and development of drug-resistant pathogens, such as the campaign to curb C. diff.
“This data shows both the progress we have made and the important work that remains to be done,” Schwartz said. “High-quality data helps drive action and CDC is committed to providing easily accessible information to help protect people from drug-resistant infections.” »
Practicing good hygiene is the best way to avoid getting or spreading many of the infections on the list. Washing your hands thoroughly with soap and running water after using the bathroom, changing a diaper, or caring for a sick person, before and after handling or eating food, and before and after having sex is the safest way to stay safe, the CDC says.
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