Salmonella
Superbugs tend to appear and prosper in settings like hospitals, aided by the constant exposure to antimicrobials that can lead to their emergence. But we’re increasingly seeing them show up in the community, too, including in the food we eat.
There are many different species of Salmonella bacteria, only some of which cause any harm. Certain species of Salmonella, like those responsible for typhoid fever, can cause life-threatening illness. But in the U.S., most cases are caused by non-typhoidal Salmonella. These infections can cause painful, though usually short-lasting, bouts of food poisoning.
Last June, a study found that drug-resistant infections of non-typhoidal Salmonella in the U.S. have steadily risen since the early 2000s. Based on surveillance data, they estimated that the annual incidence of these infections rose by 40% from 2004 to 2016.
Most cases of Salmonella will come and go without the need for antibiotics. But these milder infections can rarely become a more serious illness that requires urgent care, moreso in the very young and immunocompromised. So the resistance we’re starting to see in these bacteria is poised to become a growing problem. Currently, Salmonella is thought to cause 1.2 million cases of food poisoning in the U.S. annually, along with 500 deaths.
