These are the 4 most urgent superbugs spreading in the US this winter

Key Points:

• The CDC report highlights 19 drug-resistant pathogens causing 9.7 million infections and 50,800 deaths annually in the U.S., with four superbugs—Candida auris, Acinetobacter, Enterobacterales, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae—classified as urgent threats.
• Candida auris infections have surged nearly tenfold since 2019, spreading mainly in healthcare settings and causing severe outcomes like organ failure and sepsis, with strict isolation and disinfection protocols recommended.
• Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter (CRAB) and Enterobacterales (CRE) infections are rising, particularly among hospitalized and immunocompromised patients, leading to thousands of cases, deaths, and substantial healthcare costs.
• Gonorrhea remains a significant sexually transmitted infection with 787,000 annual cases, causing serious reproductive health complications and increased HIV risk; prevention focuses on condom use and sexual health communication.
• Thirteen additional pathogens, including drug-resistant Shigella, C. difficile, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus, are labeled serious threats, with recent outbreaks linked to contaminated food and rising sexually transmitted infections.