A new proposed bill in California would require antibiotic-resistant bacteria infections to be included on death certificates if they contributed to the death, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Here are five things to know:
1. California Sen. Jerry Hill introduced the bill. He noted that accurately approximating the number of infection-related deaths in the state is difficult as these deaths are often not "publicly recorded," according to the report.
2. The bill also requires medical testing laboratories to give state officials an annual report detailing the number of patients testing positive for each type of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
3. State officials would make the information public, but would not name the hospital where the death occurred.
4. In 2014, an Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan-led study found that these antibiotic-resistant infections, or superbug infections, would be recognized as the leading causes of death in hospitals if that information was noted on the death certificate.
5. Sen. Hill also said that the additional information on antibiotic-resistant bacteria and its related consequences could help state health officials identify trends and create strategies for prevention, according to the report.