Clonal Cluster of Elizabethkingia anophelis in Eastern Pennsylvania, November 2024–May 2025
- Presentation Day/Time: Thursday, April 23, 10:05 AM
- Presenter: Elizabeth Garcia, PharmD, Pennsylvania Department of Health
The Issue
- In December of 2024, the Pennsylvania Department of Health was notified of four hospitalized patients who tested positive for Elizabethkingia anophelis, an environmental bacterium that can cause severe opportunistic infections among people who are immunocompromised and very ill.
What We Did
- We conducted surveillance for additional E. anophelis cases and examined risk factors.
What We Found
- Twelve cases were reported during the study period, mainly among people who were older, had other health conditions, and who had prior recent contact with healthcare facilities. Ten patients with available samples for genetic testing came from hospitals within a 40-mile area and were found to be infected with bacteria that were nearly indistinguishable, suggesting a single source; however, review of water and medical suppliers, healthcare procedures, and medications failed to identify a hospital-related source.
What This Means
- Because 50% of the samples tested were collected before or upon hospital admission, we suspect that the patients acquired the bacteria before they went to the hospital. This investigation highlights that identifying the source of E. anophelis clusters remains an epidemiologic challenge, even when the bacteria are nearly identical genetically.
