Elizabethkingia Outbreak 2016: 5 Important Things To Know About This Rare Bacterial Illness That Plagues Wisconsin

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Wednesday that there were 10 additional cases of Elizabethkingia infection, including six deaths. However, the strain was reportedly different from the Wisconsin outbreak.

"Although this strain of Elizabethkingia is different than the one seen in the Wisconsin outbreak, our investigatory methods remain the same and we continue to work with the CDC and our local health departments to investigate this cluster of cases and develop ways to prevent additional infections," IDPH Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D said.

Based on the reports, the majority cases of Elizabethkingia infection are from this year but some cases date back to 2014. As of late, the rare bacterial illness has infected 59 people in Wisconsin, one in Michigan and 10 in Illinois. It has also been linked with 20 deaths, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals.

So, what is Elizabethkingia? Here are 5 important things about Elizabethkingia infection.

1. Why Is Elizabethkingia An Unusual Outbreak

Elizabethkingia anophelis is a common organism in the environment. However, it rarely causes infection to people and the current outbreak in the United States is the largest ever from this strain of bacteria, Discovery News notes.

2. Who Are At Risk For Elizabethkingia Infection?

The majority of the Elizabethkingia infections identified in Illinois have been found in the bloodstreams of patients who are over the age of 65, KWQC learns. But people who have weakened immune systems can also be infected.

"Most of the people that we are seeing with it, people that are having a serious health condition along with it so could either be a newborn, which we haven't seen," Dr. Brian Curtis, Director of Physician Practice for OSF Medical Group, said, CI Proud quotes. "We are seeing older adults that have serious health conditions presenting with what we would call sepsis. A blood stream infection with blood pressure and fever."

3. Elizabethkingia Symptoms And Fatalities

Symptoms of Elizabethkingia can include fever, shortness of breath and chills or cellulitis. A third of people infected have also died due to the infection but officials said they have not yet determined the actual cause of death on the latest cases, as per Channel News Asia.

4. Elizabethkingia Etymology And Origin

The name of the bacterium, Elizabethkingia, was derived from the name of bacteriologist Elizabeth O. King, Chron reports. The bacteria are commonly found in soil, rivers and reservoirs.

5. How Elizabethkingia Is Treated

Elizabethkingia is reportedly resistant to several antibiotics commonly use to treat bacterial infections. But according to Live Science, experts have identified several antibiotics that work to treat the bacteria in the current outbreak, including fluoroquinolones, rifampin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.

So, do you there will be more Elizabethkingia cases in Illinois? Sound off below and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates.