Drug-resistant bacteria and fungi cause an estimated 9.7 million infections and 50,800 deaths in the United States each year, according to a new CDC assessment.

The report covers 19 pathogens and updates the national picture of antimicrobial resistance, which occurs when germs develop the ability to defeat medicines intended to treat them.

An annual burden, not a new outbreak count

The figures are estimates of the annual burden across the country. They are not a count of cases in a single outbreak or a prediction that 50,800 people will die from a newly emerging disease.

The report includes bacterial and fungal threats. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, while antifungal medicines are used against fungal infections. Resistance can make those infections harder to treat and can leave patients with fewer effective options.

Comparisons require care

The new estimates should not be compared directly with older headline totals without accounting for changes in the pathogens covered, the data and the methods used. A larger total alone does not establish the size of a year-to-year increase.

Candida auris, shown in the accompanying CDC laboratory photograph, is one of the resistant fungal threats covered. The image dates to 2016 and does not depict cases from the latest reporting period.

The CDC’s antimicrobial resistance threats report provides the updated estimates. ABC News and CIDRAP independently reported the findings.