Wisconsin state is facing threat from a rare and antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection of the bloodstream known as Elizabethkingia. It has been found that counting from November 2015, a total of 48 cases of this infection have been detected in the state.

The outbreak has resulted in 18 deaths until March 9, 2016. The rarity of the infection can be understood from the fact that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not find it important to conduct close supervision for this infection. This makes it tougher to find out exact number of people affected by the infection.

Investigation into the outbreak has been recently launched by a team of eight disease detectives, including 3 from the CDC, who will be trying to find out that how and why the Elizabethkingia bacteria is attacking only people of this particular state. According to the recent reports, the state’s southeastern region, which is highly populated, consisting Milwaukee area and surrounding suburban counties is the centre of the infection.

Health care providers and laboratories have been instructed to detect the bacteria increasing the chances of more Elizabethkingia cases being found.

Dr. Nasia Safdar, director of infection control at UW Hospital and Clinics and faculty at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, revealed that the infection usually occurs in sporadic cases, particularly in a healthcare facility or hospital, where the patients with high vulnerability and frailty are more susceptible to the bacteria.

Symptoms of this infection include feeling extremely sick and in case of infection getting into bloodstream fever, shaking and chills are common. In case the infection attacks skin, redness or inflammation can be seen. Since Elizabethkingia occurs primarily in individuals who are already sick, the infection results in further complications. Treatments for the infection are available, with combination of antibiotics given to the patient.