Approximately how many people are sickened each year with antibiotic-resistant infections?

Approximately how many people are sickened each year with antibiotic-resistant infections?

• A. 1 million
• B. 2 million
• C. 3 million
• D. 4 million

Answer: (B)

Antibiotic resistance makes infections harder to treat, so people stay sick longer and more cases occur across healthcare and community settings. In the United States, surveillance estimates that about 2 million people become sick from antibiotic‑resistant infections each year, with thousands of deaths. This figure captures illnesses caused by bacteria that no longer respond to standard antibiotics, not just treatment failures, and it reflects the overall burden across common infections. The number is approximate because data come from multiple surveillance sources and can vary year to year. The other options are farther from the best-supported U.S. estimate—1 million would understate the burden, while 3 or 4 million would overstate it.

Antibiotic resistance makes infections harder to treat, so people stay sick longer and more cases occur across healthcare and community settings. In the United States, surveillance estimates that about 2 million people become sick from antibiotic‑resistant infections each year, with thousands of deaths. This figure captures illnesses caused by bacteria that no longer respond to standard antibiotics, not just treatment failures, and it reflects the overall burden across common infections. The number is approximate because data come from multiple surveillance sources and can vary year to year. The other options are farther from the best-supported U.S. estimate—1 million would understate the burden, while 3 or 4 million would overstate it.