More than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the United States each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result. Many more die from complications from antibiotic-resistant infections.
The use of antibiotics is the single most important factor leading to antibiotic resistance around the world. Antibiotics are among the most commonly prescribed drugs used in human medicine, however, CDC estimates that at least 30% of antibiotics prescribed in the outpatient setting are unnecessary, meaning that no antibiotic was needed at all.
Visit the CDC website to learn how you can participate, cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/week
