The National Academy of Science study says the superbug may be spreading wider than previously thought. The superbug is known as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae or CRE and it tends to spread in hospitals or long-term care facilities.
The Center for Disease Control says it causes an estimated 9,300 infections and 600 deaths per year. The study suggests the superbug generally spreads from patient to patient without signs of symptoms.
The news comes after a recent report showing a Nevada woman who died last year, “actually died from a strain resistant to 26 different antibiotics,” KLAS-TV reported.
The resistance to antibiotics is believed to stem from the different species and genes that make up the superbug. These characteristics bring together “high levels of resistance to some of the most important antibiotics remaining in our arsenal,” according to the study.
Experts say stopping it is as simple as having those who care for the sick wash their hands and clean medical equipment.
