CDC Funds Aid State and Local Health Departments
The new funding for antibiotic resistance also supports seven new regional laboratories with specialized capabilities allowing rapid detection and identification of emerging antibiotic resistant threats.
CDC announced it is providing $67 million to help health departments nationwide tackle antibiotic resistance and other patient safety threats, including health care-associated infections. The new funding for antibiotic resistance also supports seven new regional laboratories with specialized capabilities allowing rapid detection and identification of emerging antibiotic resistant threats.
The money is going to all 50 state health departments, six local health departments (Chicago, the District of Columbia, Houston, Los Angeles County, New York City, and Philadelphia), and Puerto Rico. The awards support activities related to CDC's Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative and implementation of the surveillance, prevention, and stewardship activities outlined in the National Action Plan for the Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria.
In addition to the detection capacity provided through the seven regional labs, every state health department lab will be able to test for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae ("nightmare bacteria") and work toward performing whole genome sequencing on intestinal bacteria, including Salmonella, Shigella and many Campylobacter. And the investments will strengthen states' ability to conduct foodborne disease tracking, investigation, and prevention, according to CDC.