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Growing antibiotic crisis could turn bacterial infections deadly, experts warn

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Growing antibiotic crisis could turn bacterial infections deadly, experts warn

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As “superbugs” continue to surge, the World Health Organization is now warning that one in every six bacterial infections are resistant to antibiotics.

WHO also called for antibiotic medications to be used more responsibly, according to a press release published by the agency on Monday.

Based on data from more than 100 countries between 2016 and 2023, the health agency determined that resistance to antibiotics rose in approximately 40% of infection samples.

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The report includes eight common bacterial pathogens: Acinetobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, non-typhoidal Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae.

The most dangerous type of infection, according to the report, is caused by drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria — particularly E. coli and K. pneumoniae, which can lead to sepsis, organ failure and death. 

As “superbugs” continue to surge, the World Health Organization is warning that one in six bacterial infections are resistant to antibiotics. (iStock)

Antibiotics are part of a wider group of medicines called antimicrobials, which also include antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitics.

When bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines, that leads to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which increases the risk of severe illness, disability or death, according to WHO.

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“Antimicrobial resistance is outpacing advances in modern medicine, threatening the health of families worldwide,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement accompanying the report. “We must use antibiotics responsibly, and make sure everyone has access to the right medicines, quality-assured diagnostics and vaccines.”

“Antimicrobial resistance is outpacing advances in modern medicine, threatening the health of families worldwide.”

More than one million deaths each year are directly linked to antibiotic resistance, according to a study by the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) Project.

In some cases, AMR can occur naturally as germs mutate over time — but WHO cautions that it can also stem from people’s “misuse and overuse” of antibiotics and other antimicrobials.

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WHO has called for antibiotic medications to be used more responsibly. (iStock)

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, said that WHO’s latest report is “particularly worrisome.” 

“These are aggressive bacteria that are more and more difficult to treat,” he told Fox News Digital. “Carbapenem resistance, in particular, is very tough to treat, as is multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis.”

Carbapenems are considered “last-line antibiotics” that are used to treat serious multidrug-resistant infections, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Siegel agrees that a primary contributor is overuse of antibiotics, both for common upper respiratory infections as well as more serious hospital-borne bacteria that live on hospital equipment.

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“Antibiotics are also not very profitable for drug companies to devise, because they are only used when a person has an infection (episodic rather than daily use) — and so we mostly rely on antibiotics that have been around for decades,” he added.

Artificial intelligence could present one potential solution, according to Siegel.

Based on data from more than 100 countries between 2016 and 2023, the health agency determined that resistance to antibiotics rose in approximately 40% of infection samples. (iStock)

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“AI can invent new antibiotics more quickly and less expensively with machine learning, as well as better sanitation and more judicious use in fighting infections,” he said.

To combat the issue, WHO calls for greater surveillance of AMR and antimicrobial use through the agency’s Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS).

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“Countries must commit to strengthening laboratory systems and generating reliable surveillance data, especially from underserved areas, to inform treatments and policies,” the report stated. “WHO calls on all countries to report high-quality data on AMR and antimicrobial use to GLASS by 2030.”

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Foods and Drinks That Help With Bloating: Flatten Your Belly in Days

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What to know about Cushing’s syndrome, which led to Amy Schumer’s dramatic weight loss

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What to know about Cushing’s syndrome, which led to Amy Schumer’s dramatic weight loss

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Comedian Amy Schumer, 44, has recently come clean about her struggle with Cushing’s syndrome, leading to a dramatic weight loss.

Schumer’s transformation has sparked conversation online, to which she responded in a now-deleted Instagram post that shut down speculation about cosmetic enhancements.

“I didn’t lose 30lbs — I lost 50,” she emphasized on social media, adding that she does not get Botox or filler.

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Schumer doubled down that her weight loss was not about her appearance, but about staying alive.

“Not to look hot, which does feel fun and temporary,” she said. “I did it to survive. I had a disease that makes your face extremely puffy that can kill you, but the internet caught it and that disease has cleared.”

Amy Schumer attends Variety’s 2024 Power of Women: New York event on May 2, 2024, in New York City on the left. On the right, Schumer later poses for a photo posted to Instagram after her weight loss. (Marleen Moise/WireImage; Amy Schumer/Instagram)

“Sorry for whatever feeling it’s giving you that I lost that weight,” she added. “I’ve had plastic surgery over the years and I use [Mounjaro]. Sorry to anyone they let down. I’m pain free. I can [play] tag with my son.”

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The actress also addressed her shifting hormones, saying that she’s “happy to share more if anyone has any questions about how I’m looking or feeling or where I am in my perimenopause process.”

“I didn’t lose 30lbs — I lost 50,” Schumer emphasized on social media, adding that she does not get Botox or filler. (Amy Schumer/Instagram)

What is Cushing’s syndrome?

Schumer previously revealed that she had been diagnosed with Cushing’s syndrome, a hormonal disorder that can cause extreme swelling, fatigue and potentially fatal complications.

Dr. Peter Balazs, a hormone and weight loss specialist in New Jersey, provided more details on the condition in an interview with Fox News Digital.

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“Cushing’s syndrome is caused by prolonged, high exposure to cortisol, which is your body’s main stress hormone,” he said. “Usually, the excess cortisol is a result of prolonged steroid use. We see this many times with patients who have some autoimmune disorder.”

Balazs said the “key” to Cushing’s syndrome is not just weight gain, but a “specific redistribution” of fat caused by too much cortisol.

Amy Schumer is photographed during a guest interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Feb. 13, 2024 (left), and later seen walking through midtown New York City on Oct. 28, 2025 (right). (Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images; Raymond Hall/GC Images/Getty Images)

Fat may be driven to the abdomen, chest, upper back (referred to as a “buffalo hump”) or face, sometimes considered “moon face,” the doctor said.

Cortisol also breaks down protein, which leads to a thinning in the arms and legs. “Weight gain can be tough, involuntary and hard to manage,” Balazs added.

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Cortisol stimulates “hunger centers” in the brain, raises blood sugar and promotes fat storage, especially deep belly fat, according to the doctor.

Cushing’s syndrome can also cause high blood pressure, bone loss and sometimes type 2 diabetes, per Mayo Clinic.

In addition to weight gain in certain areas, other symptoms may include pink or purple stretch marks on the stomach, hips, thighs, breasts and underarms, as well as acne, slow wound healing, and thin, frail skin that bruises easily.

With Cushing’s syndrome, fat may accumulate in the abdomen, chest, face or upper back (referred to as a “buffalo hump”). (iStock)

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Women with Cushing’s syndrome often experience thick, dark hair on the face and body, as well as irregular periods. Symptoms among men can include a lower sex drive, reduced fertility and erectile dysfunction.

Mayo Clinic listed other potential symptoms, including extreme fatigue, muscle weakness, depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, trouble with concentration and memory, headache, sleeplessness, skin darkening and stunted growth in children.

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Those with symptoms should contact their doctor immediately, especially if they are taking steroids to treat health issues like asthma, arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease, as these medications can exacerbate the condition.

The Mayo Clinic has reported that the “sooner treatment starts, the better the chances for recovery.”

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“I’ve had plastic surgery over the years and I use [Mounjaro],” Schumer stated in a social media post. (George Frey/Bloomberg)

For patients like Schumer, weight loss is typically not the main goal, Balazs noted, but it is a “critical sign” of successful treatment.

“The primary goal is to normalize your high cortisol levels,” he said. “I believe Amy Schumer got treated first for her underlying problem. Once the cortisol is normalized, which is the most important step, there’s a role to use adjunct medications to decrease weight.”

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Among GLP-1s, Mounjaro is an “excellent choice to decrease deep belly fat and increase insulin sensitivity of cells,” Balazs added.

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Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Giang-Paunon contributed to this report.

Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s rep requesting comment.

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Hundreds quarantined due to measles outbreak in southern state, officials say

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Hundreds quarantined due to measles outbreak in southern state, officials say

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VIRAL OUTBREAK — Measles surge leads to hundreds quarantined in U.S. county, officials say

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The South Carolina Department of Public Health confirmed that 254 people are currently in quarantine in the upstate region. (iStock)

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