An estimated 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the U.S. every year, and that number is on the rise, according to research by the Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease.
Many of those infections occur in healthcare settings, incurring $5.8 billion in direct medical care, according to a Nov. 14 news release from the organization. Vulnerable patients like those battling cancer or other chronic conditions are at greatest risk of contracting infections.
Here are other findings:
- A report by the CDC found antibiotic-resistant infections and deaths increased by 15 percent in 2020.
- Hispanic patients are 24 percent more likely to die from a hospital-acquired infection and Black patients are 12 percent more likely, as compared to their white counterparts.
- Roughly 35,000 deaths occur each year from these infections, resulting in an economic loss of $7.2 billion.