Getting to the Bottom of the Elizabethkingia Anophelis Outbreaks
If you’ve never heard of Elizabethkingia anophelis, don’t worry: you’re not alone. It’s a bacterial strain found most often in the gut of mosquitos, most often in Africa. But in 2015 and 2016, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services confirmed reported an outbreak of the bacteria in the state. In total, they had 63 confirmed cases. Of those 63, 18 – almost a third – were fatal. The outbreak spanned 12 different counties, according to WisContext, and reached as far as Illinois and Michigan.
The cases “inspired the Centers for Disease control and Prevention to release genomic data from the organisms that infected specific patients for researchers to use in their investigations. The CDC Advanced Molecular Detection initiative spread the word via Twitter just as the outbreak was winding down in March 2016, and collaborations among scientists investigating this bacteria soon followed.”
According to researchers, a genetic mutation took place in the E. anophelis strain which led so many people in the U.S. to get sick. It also prompted renewed interest in the rare pathogen, which could help scientists in the event of another outbreak.
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Randy is the former President of the South Carolina Association for Justice. He has been certified by the American Board of Professional Liability as a specialist in Medical Malpractice Law which is recognized by the South Carolina Bar. Randy has also been awarded the distinction of being a “Super Lawyer” 10 times in the last decade. He has over 25 years of experience helping injured people fight back against corporations, hospitals and wrong-doers.
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