All articles tagged with #antimicrobial resistance
Provisional CDC data through July 25, 2026 show 3,437 clinical Candida auris cases across 27 states, led by California with 873. The drug-resistant fungus spreads in healthcare settings via contaminated surfaces and colonization, and can cause invasive infections with high mortality; most strains resist fluconazole and echinocandins are the main treatment, driving ongoing research and strict infection-control measures.
A drug-resistant fungus, Candida auris, is spreading in the United States with 3,437 clinical cases this year across 27 states (and 6,304 in 2024). It mainly threatens patients with severe underlying illnesses and invasive devices, and can be carried as colonization without symptoms. Transmission occurs via direct contact or contaminated equipment, not casual contact or airborne spread. Increased screening and better detection mean more cases are found, but eradicating the fungus is unlikely; strict cleaning and infection-control practices in hospitals and long-term care facilities can reduce spread.
A drug-resistant fungus, Candida auris, is spreading across 23 states with more than 3,000 cases this year, mostly in hospitals and nursing homes. The infection can be hard to spot due to nonspecific symptoms, may survive on surfaces for weeks, and has a mortality rate of 30–60%. New Jersey has 166 cases, while Texas leads with 706; health officials warn Candida auris is an urgent antimicrobial-resistance threat identified by the CDC.
A study links Acinetobacter baumannii found in animals to human hospital strains, showing two groups: high-AMR in companion animals (cats, dogs, horses) and lower-AMR in livestock. Pets harbor several hospital-associated clones (including ST25) that are genetically over 99% identical to human strains and carry carbapenem-resistance genes not seen in livestock. While there’s no direct evidence of pet-to-human transmission yet, the findings suggest pets could facilitate cross-species spread and underscore the need for broader cross-species sampling and surveillance.
A study of nearly 2,800 Campylobacter genomes from chickens and wild birds across 30 countries shows that intensified factory-style chicken farming accelerates cross-species transmission and genetic mixing, boosting antimicrobial-resistance traits. The resulting diversity raises the risk of harder-to-treat infections in people, as global chicken numbers soar and farming becomes denser. Published in PNAS, the research links the scale of poultry production to rapid pathogen evolution and highlights ongoing antibiotic-use as a contributing factor.
A Nature book review argues that evolutionary thinking can improve medicine, agriculture and policy, from predicting antibiotic resistance and optimizing cancer therapy to guiding fever management with pathogen biology and genomic markers rather than blanket rules.
A surge in drug-resistant gonorrhoea in Europe shows antimicrobial resistance is spreading through everyday contact and travel, not just hospitals, with LMICs bearing a heavy burden as treatment options dwindle. The situation underscores the need for stronger antibiotic stewardship, surveillance, and new drug development—ideally via not-for-profit models like zoliflodacin—to ensure access and sustainable use across all countries; otherwise common infections could become increasingly hard or impossible to treat.
Japan’s national effort to curb antibiotic resistance includes an incentive that pays pediatricians about 800 yen (~$5) when they don’t prescribe antibiotics for illnesses likely caused by viruses. Rolled out in 2018 and later expanded to more clinics and conditions, the program reduced total antibiotic use in eligible clinics by about 17.8% in the first year and lowered broad-spectrum prescriptions by 20–24% over four years, without raising hospitalizations. The piece questions whether the US could adopt a similar approach and explores drivers of doctors’ prescribing decisions and cultural factors that influence such policies.
Lilly announced agreements to acquire Curevo, LimmaTech Biologics and Vaccine Company to broaden its infectious-disease portfolio with vaccine-based prevention for shingles, bacterial pathogens and EBV-related disease, respectively. The deals could total up to $3.83 billion in potential cash payments, contingent on milestones and regulatory clearances, and closing is subject to customary conditions, reflecting Lilly's strategy to prevent disease at the source and address antimicrobial resistance.
Researchers studying noma patients in Nigeria identified a previously undescribed Treponema bacterium (Treponema A) in most samples, suggesting a possible causal or contributory role and raising the possibility of diagnostic tests at the gingivitis stage and targeted antibiotics to prevent progression. If confirmed, this could reduce mortality and lifelong disfigurement and lessen reliance on broad-spectrum antibiotics; a larger, multi-country study is planned to clarify Treponema A’s role.
A global review led by Jilin University and Peking Union Medical College Hospital finds antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is not a distant threat but a present crisis: common infections are increasingly no longer treatable with standard antibiotics, with regional patterns influenced by policy, practice, and environmental use; bacteria such as E. coli and Klebsiella show β-lactamase activity in parts of Asia while carbapenem resistance climbs in Europe and the Americas, and fungi like Candida auris also resist multiple drugs. Reversing the trend requires rapid diagnostics, precision dosing, smarter drug combinations, and robust national surveillance and stewardship, plus cutting agricultural antibiotic use and pursuing new antibiotics and antifungals within a One Health framework. The study appears in the Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital.
New research on bogland plants from Ireland finds tormentil extracts inhibit bacteria and biofilm formation, and can enhance the effectiveness of the last-resort antibiotic colistin; compounds like ellagic acid and agrimoniin may work by iron chelation, pointing to plant-derived antimicrobials as a potential aid against drug-resistant infections, with further formulation work underway.
A study screening bogland plants found tormentil (Potentilla erecta) extracts to be antimicrobial, to limit biofilm formation, and to enhance the effectiveness of the last-resort antibiotic colistin when used together, via compounds like ellagic acid and agrimoniin that appear to work by iron chelation; this highlights plant compounds as sources of new antimicrobials and antibiotic adjuvants amid rising antimicrobial resistance.
Deep underground Lechuguilla Cave hosts ancient, isolated bacteria that resist most natural antibiotics, suggesting antibiotic resistance predates humans and could inspire new drugs while offering clues on how pathogens might evolve resistance to upcoming therapies.
A Plymouth Marine Laboratory–Exeter study shows microplastics act as mobile surfaces for microbial communities, forming dense biofilms (the Plastisphere) that carry antibiotic‑resistance genes and potentially resistant pathogens. These plastics can transport microbes from hospital wastewater to rivers and oceans, with downstream and marine environments showing higher resistance gene levels, especially on polystyrene and nurdles. The findings highlight the need for closer monitoring of microplastics, reducing plastic pollution, and careful handling during beach cleanups to protect ecosystems and human health.