Elizabethkingia case at Children’s Hospital not strain associated with outbreak



MILWAUKEE -- The Wisconsin Department of Health Services confirmed Tuesday, May 3rd that the case of Elizabethkingia at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin is not the strain associated with the current outbreak in Wisconsin -- and that it is not as serious.

"This is a really boring strain. This is a strain of Elizabethkingia that is not causing the outbreak," Dr. Peter Havens, pediatric infectious disease doctor at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, and a professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin said.

Elizabethkingia



Elizabethkingia involves bacteria that infects the bloodstream and affects the respiratory tract. There are multiple strains of this organism and all known strains are treated with antibiotics.

Officials say the bacteria is not transferred easily from person to person, meaning that Children’s Hospital's standard infection prevention protocols are effective in preventing the spread of the disease.

Dr. Peter Havens



"Elizabethkingia in healthy kids is really, usually a very mild disease. Once you know the organism, you can test for the specific antibacterial drugs that will kill it," Dr. Havens said.

Dr. Havens said the Elizabethkingia case at Children's Hospital was treated with antibiotics.

Dr. Havens said over the last few years, Children's Hospital has seen two or three cases of Elizabethkingia per year. There's not really any one way that a person could contract Elizabethkingia, but the bacteria is present in soil and water.

"We all live in an environment filled with bacteria. These bacteria are in that environment, and most people aren't getting it, which means that it's not very invasive," Dr. Havens said.

Elizabethkingia



According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, there have been 60 confirmed cases of Elizabethkingia in Wisconsin connected to the outbreak. At least 18 cases have been deadly. The outbreak has been under investigation since December.

According to State Health Officer Karen McKeown, this is the largest known outbreak of this strain in the United States.

DHS officials say none of the confirmed cases associated with the outbreak are children.

The majority of those sickened have been over the age of 65 and have had other serious underlying medical conditions.

The source of the bacteria is under investigation.