Drug-resistant pathogens are a growing menace to all people, regardless of age, sex, or socioeconomic background. They endanger people in affluent, industrial societies like the United States, as well as those in less developed nations. Many pathogens of international importance are becoming resistant to standard therapies, including bacteria that cause pneumonia, ear infections, and meningitis (e.g., Streptococcus pneumoniae); food and waterborne infections (e.g., Salmonella and Shigella); sexually transmitted diseases (e.g., Neisseria gonorrhoeae); the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS; and the parasites that cause malaria (Plasmodium spp.). Other examples of clinically important microbes that are rapidly developing drug-resistance include Mycobacterium tuberculosis; bacteria that cause skin, bone, lung, and bloodstream infections (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus) and urinary tract infections (e.g., Escherichia coli); and pathogens transmitted in health care settings (e.g., enterococci and Klebsiella).

CDC is working with many partners to help improve global thecapacity to detect and control drug-resistant infections. These efforts include working with WHO to provide quality control and proficiency testing for clinical laboratories in support of surveillance for emerging resistance problems. CDC is also working with FDA, NIH, USAID, DoD, USDA, and other U.S. agencies to develop Part II of the U.S. Public Health Action Plan to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance, which will serve as a blueprint for U.S. government activities to address international antimicrobial resistance issues. U.S. agencies and their partners will implement this blueprint in the context of WHO’s Global Strategy for the Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance.