CDC 2022 Special Report: COVID-19 U.S. Impact on Antimicrobial Resistance
SUMMARY
CDC-collected antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance data shows an increase of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs) in US hospitals during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, rates of healthcare acquired infections (HAIs) and deaths from MDROs had been declining from 2017 to 2019. However, the CDC special report states that 2020 showed a significant increase in antimicrobial use and difficulty in following infection prevention and control guidance. HAIs and deaths from MDROs rose by 15% from 2019 to 2020.
The CDC study found an increase in the presence of the following MDROs:
• Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter (+78%)
• Antifungal-resistant Candida auris (+60%)*
• Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (+35%)
• Antifungal-resistant Candida (+26%)
• ESBL-producing Enterobacterales (+32%)
• Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (+14%)
• Multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa (+32%)
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (+13%)
*Candida auris was not included in the hospital-onset rate calculation of 15%.
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PUBLISHED BY
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
September 8, 2022
