Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2013 report

eference testing also provides an early warning of new resistance that has the potential to
spread across the nation and that requires public health action.
Additionally, CDC recently conducted a survey in collaboration with its Emerging
Infections Program to estimate the number of healthcare-associated infections and to
better understand antibiotic use among inpatients in U.S. hospitals. The survey found that
antibiotic use was frequent, that most antibiotic use was for treating active infections, and
that vancomycin was the most commonly used antibiotic overall. Formal results are due to
be published in late 2013 and 2014. CDC plans to conduct a repeat survey in 2014 that will
include assessments of appropriate antibiotic prescribing.
Improving Antibiotic Prescribing
CDC manages the Get Smart program, a national campaign to improve antibiotic
prescribing and use in both outpatient and inpatient settings. The program supports a
variety of state-based programs modeled on the national effort. Each November, CDC
publicizes its annual Get Smart About Antibiotics Week to raise awareness among patients,
healthcare providers, hospital administrators, and policy makers about the threat of
antibiotic resistance and the need to decrease inappropriate antibiotic use. CDC provides
public health messages and resources for improving antibiotic use in healthcare settings
and is now working with a variety of partners to improve the use of antibiotics in healthcare
settings. One core activity is the development and implementation of the Antibiotic
Stewardship Drivers and Change Package, a tool that provides healthcare facilities with
a menu of interventions they can select from to improve antibiotic use. CDC developed
and tested this tool with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Additional information
about Get Smart About Antibiotics Week activities and messages can be found on CDC’s
website: http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/. The Drivers and Change Package can be found at
http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/healthcare/improve-efforts/driver-diagram/index.html.
Protecting Patients from Infections
Preventing infections negates the need for antibiotic use in the first place, and scientific
evidence shows that reducing antibiotic use in a single facility can reduce resistance
in that facility. Taken on a national scale, infection prevention efforts can significantly
decrease resistance. To help prevent infections, CDC conducts research to find new ways of
preventing infections; provides the nation with infection prevention guidelines and tools to
prevent infections; serves as the nation’s reference laboratory to identify microorganisms;
and offers the nation’s largest healthcare-associated infection tracking system, NHSN,
allowing facilities and states to identify and address problem areas.
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