The Only Way to Huntdown Nightmare Bacteria
What are ‘nightmare bacteria’ and why are infections rising in the US?
Nightmare bacteria” is a nickname the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave to a group of highly drug-resistant bacteria that are very difficult—or sometimes impossible—to treat with standard antibiotics. The most well-known examples are Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), but the term can also include other organisms that show resistance to nearly all available antibiotics.
The number of infections caused by drug-resistant “nightmare bacteria” in the United States increased by nearly 70 percent between 2019 and 2023, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Researchers attribute much of the rise to bacteria carrying the NDM (New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase) gene. Once considered rare and primarily detected in patients outside the U.S., these bacteria are now spreading more widely within the country.
Researchers analyzed data from 29 states that monitor and report carbapenem-resistant infections. In 2023, they identified 4,341 such cases, of which 1,831 involved bacteria carrying the NDM gene.
Why they are called nightmare bacteria?
- Resistance to last-resort drugs: Carbapenems are some of the strongest antibiotics doctors use when nothing else works. CRE and similar bacteria have evolved ways to survive even these drugs.
- High mortality: Infections can be deadly, killing up to 50% of infected patients in some cases.
- Silent spread: They can live in the body without causing symptoms (colonization), making it easier for them to spread unnoticed in hospitals or nursing homes.
- Ability to share resistance genes: They can transfer drug-resistance traits to other bacteria, turning once-treatable germs into untreatable ones.
How do bacteria become drug-resistant?
Bacteria gain resistance through mutations or acquiring resistance genes, then survive and thrive when exposed to antibiotics, while susceptible ones die off.
What are the early signs of carbapenem-resistant infection?
- Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): burning or painful urination, frequent or urgent need to urinate, cloudy or foul-smelling urine.
- Bloodstream Infections (Sepsis): high fever, chills, rapid heartbeat, confusion, or dangerously low blood pressure.
- Pneumonia (Lung Infections): persistent cough, difficulty breathing, chest discomfort, or fever.
How do they spread?
- Person-to-person, especially in healthcare settings
- Via contaminated medical equipment (e.g., catheters, ventilators)
- Through poor infection control and hygiene
Because these symptoms overlap with more routine infections, early recognition and diagnostic testing are crucial for proper treatment
Possible ways for treatment?
Carbapenems are a last-resort antibiotic class effective against some “nightmare bacteria,” but infections with NDM-gene bacteria can make them ineffective.
Are ‘nightmare bacteria’ rising in other countries as well?
Bacteria containing the NDM gene are not just a problem in the US; they can be found elsewhere in the world as well, although prevalence varies by region.
