Clinical impact of antimicrobial resistance in humans.

The dramatic rise in the number and spread of resistant bacterial species continues. This involves not only bacteria that cause infections in the healthcare sector but also those that originate in the community. Antibiotic resistance rates are rising in almost all bacterial species, including those that are the most common bacterial pathogens in people (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus). Serious infections caused by resistant bacteria do not respond well to therapy and these infections are often associated with worse outcomes, including increased rates of complications, additional expense, higher associated mortality rates and prolonged hospital stays.