Dead Illinois Resident Had Same Bacterial Infection as Wisconsin Outbreak

A deceased Illinois resident was infected with a bacteria linked to the deaths of 18 people in Wisconsin and one person in Michigan.

This person had the only confirmed case of an Elizabethkingia anophelis infection in Illinois, though 57 in Wisconsin have been affected by the outbreak, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Most of the people who have been infected by the bacteria are older than 65 and already had a serious illness. Heath officials don't know if the deaths of people with Elizabethkingia were caused by the bacterial infection, by their other health conditions or both.

“Illinois is working closely with the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and Wisconsin and Michigan health officials to investigate this outbreak and develop ways to prevent additional infections,” said Illinois Department of Public Health director Nirav D. Shah in a statement. “IDPH will continue to coordinate with hospitals and health care providers to quickly identify and report cases of Elizabethkingia.”

Julie Lund, communications director for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, told Patch in March that young or generally health people should not be worried about this infection.

Though the bacteria is common in soil, water and the environment, infections caused by Elizabethkinga are usually rare. Because all the bacteria found in the confirmed cases are identical organisms, they may have come from the same source.

Lund said they are reasonably certain groundwater is not the source. Officials are still testing water, health care products and the environment, but so far, they have not found the source of the bacteria, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Photo courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Special Bacteriology Reference Lab. Three individual Elizabethkingia anophelis colonies grow next to each other on blood agar.