CDC Warns Of 'Nightmare Bacteria' Recently Found In PA

Antibiotic-resistant "nightmare bacteria" infections were reported recently in Pennsylvania, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced this week. The bacteria, known as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, can cause pneumonia as well as infections of the bloodstream and urinary tract.

The CDC reported that Pennsylvania had at least five cases of the "nightmare bacteria" as of Dec. 31, 2017. The agency did not have any additional information on locations or timeframe of the illnesses. A full map of states impacted in 2017 can be found here.

A CDC study found that the antibiotic-resistant germs can "spread like wildfire" and result in infections that are impossible to treat. The CDC said an alarming 50 percent of those infected with CRE typically die.

The CDC made the announcement this week, while explaining a containment strategy to stop the deadly bacteria's spread.

The strategy calls for rapid identification, infection control assessments, testing patients without symptoms who may carry and spread the germ and continued infection control assessments until spread is stopped. (You can read the full transcript of the teleconference in which the strategy was discussed by clicking here.)

The infections are most prevalent in patients in hospitals and nursing homes who use IVs or other tubes that can become infected, according to the study. In about 11 percent of cases, people in close contact with patients also sometimes carried the superbugs even though they weren't sick, creating the risk of further spreading the bacteria.

The study said health departments using the containment strategy approach have conducted infection control assessments and colonization screenings within 48 hours of finding unusual resistance and have reported no further transmission during follow-up over several weeks.

"It's reassuring to see that state and local experts, using our containment strategy, identified and stopped these resistant bacteria before they had the opportunity to spread," Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

How can the public help stem the spread of nightmare bacteria?

The CDC offers these suggestions:

• Tell your doctors if you recently had health care in another country.
• Talk with your doctors about preventing infections, taking care of chronic conditions to help avoid them, and getting vaccines to prevent them.
• Wash your hands regularly and keep cuts clean until healed.

With reporting Tom Davis and Shannon Antinori of Patch

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