A new study reveals a dramatic rise in cases of drug-resistant bacteria Source: Scientific American In 2018, the CDC reported 221 cases of rare, highly antibiotic resistant bacteria across 27 states. These bacteria are resistant to nearly all available antibiotics and can transfer their resistance genes to other bacteria, making them especially dangerous. The CDC's nationwide testing network found that 1 in 4 samples carried special genes, called beta lactamase genes, which s