One of the most alarming trends in the modern world is the spread of antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacteria. A striking example is the case of gonorrhea in the UK, where the pathogen is resistant to absolutely all known antibiotics.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antibiotic-resistant bacteria kill 23,000 Americans each year. In 2017, the CDC's Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network analyzed 5,776 samples of highly resistant bacteria over a nine-month period. Researchers searched for new, unusual resistance genes and found them in approximately one in four of the analyzed samples. More than 200 samples contained a particularly rare antibiotic resistance gene—pathogens dubbed "nightmare bacteria."

An example of "nightmare bacteria" are some members of the Enterobacteriaceae family, which includes Escherichia coli. These pathogens are resistant to reserve antibiotics such as carbapenems, and infections with them are fatal in half of cases. Due to the widespread prevalence of antibiotic resistance, the WHO has included this family in a high-priority group for the search for effective treatments.

The CDC report's authors point out that antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains have been detected in individuals without any clinical symptoms, meaning that not all resistant bacteria likely come to the attention of doctors and therefore continue to spread rapidly. Furthermore, bacteria are constantly mutating, constantly acquiring new antimicrobial resistance genes.

The CDC emphasizes the critical importance of preventing the uncontrolled spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. While scientists develop new drugs and the public strives to reduce antibiotic use, the CDC recommends implementing a "containment" policy—the rapid detection and quarantine of infections with unusual antibiotic resistance. The CDC recommends that the general public prioritize infection prevention through vaccination, hygiene, antiseptic practices, and the rational use of antibiotics.