Superbugs on the Rise in U.S. Pediatric Populations

The superbugs, which are antibiotic-resistant, are especially affecting children with complex medical needs.

Nov. 10, 2026

Key Highlights

CDC researchers analyzed 1,845 CRE cases in 1,753 children from 2019 through 2024.
National pediatric CRE incidence increased 51%, and carbapenemase-producing CRE incidence rose 92%.
One-quarter of cases involved carbapenemase-producing CRE, including strains carrying the NDM gene.
Only 14% of cases occurred in children without healthcare risk factors; among those with risk factors, 75% had an underlying medical condition.

Researchers have reported in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society that an increase in superbugs in U.S. hospitals is affecting children with complex medical needs. CIDRAP has the news.

Surveillance studies by the CDC have shown a significant increase in hospital infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), which has become resistant to most antibiotics. This increase is driven by carbapenemase-producing (CP)-CRE that carry the carbapenemase gene New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM).

A team led by CDC researchers analyzed CRE clinical isolates from patients aged 18 and under that were submitted to the CDC's Antimicrobial Resistance Laboratory Network from 2019 through 2024. They identified 1,845 CRE cases from 1,753 children; one quarter of those cases were CP-CRE. National incidence of pediatric CRE rose 51% over the study period, and CP-CRE incidence saw a 92% increase.

Only 14% of these cases were in children with no healthcare risk factors. Of those with risk factors, 75% had an underlying medical condition, including cardiovascular disease, malignancies, and neurocognitive conditions. These findings indicate that CP-CRE is a growing issue in U.S. pediatric healthcare settings, the authors concluded.