Executive Summary
"Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2013 is a snapshot of the complex problem
of antibiotic resistance today and the potentially catastrophic consequences of inaction .
The overriding purpose of this report is to increase awareness of the threat that antibiotic
resistance poses and to encourage immediate action to address the threat . This document
can serve as a reference for anyone looking for information about antibiotic resistance . It is
specifically designed to be accessi
ble to many audiences . For more technical information,
references and links are provided .
This report covers bacteria causing severe human infections and the antibiotics used to treat those infections . In addition, Candida, a fungus that commonly causes serious illness, especially among hospital patients, is included because it, too, is showing increasing resistance to the drugs used for treatment . When discussing the pathogens included in this report, Candida will be included when referencing “bacteria” for simplicity . Also, infections caused by the bacteria Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) are also included in this report. Although C. difficile infections are not yet significantly resistant to the drugs used to treat them, most are directly related to antibiotic use and thousands of Americans are affected each year .
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