Antibiotic resistance is an increasingly significant public health issue in the United States. The problem is rapidly growing and is predicted to kill 10 million people every year by 2050 (pdf).
Some pathogens have already become “superbugs” that are resistant to many types of antibiotics.
“Diseases that have been treatable may become incurable as time goes on,” warned Dr. Miriam Smith, chief of infectious disease at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills, part of Northwell Health in New York.
Already Causing Thousands of Deaths Every Year
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about three million people in the United States currently acquire antibiotic-resistant infections each year, causing over 35,000 deaths annually….