Merging the psychometric paradigm with the community structure theory, this study explores newspaper coverage of a superbug (NDM-1) in India, the UK, and the USA. It distinguishes various community structure features: level of vested economic concern, level of disposable health care, and size of health care stakeholders as factors affecting how NDM-1 risks are depicted in terms of the level of manageability, fear, insecurity and familiarity. The findings offer baseline data for the scientific community and public health professionals in producing more effecient messages to report the public about the dangers of superbugs. KEYWORDS: Superbug, psychometric paradigm, community structure approach, mass media, newspapers