ELIZABETHKINGIA INFECTION

Overview and Facts

Elizabethkingia infection is an enigmatic bacteria termed after bacteriologist Elizabeth O. King, who found and described the first form of this genus in the 1950s. It is often found in the environment, notably in water and soil, but seldom produces human illness. However, it has recently been discovered that Elizabethkingia infection has emerged as a source of potentially fatal infections among humans, especially in immunocompromised people.

Furthermore, neonatal meningitis is the most prevalent form of Elizabethkingia infection in kids. According to the latest research, roughly 31% of kids with Elizabethkingia die from the illness, with an average lifespan of 27 days from the beginning of symptoms.

Types and Symptoms

TYPES

  • Elizabethkingia anophelis– A parasite derived from secluded Anopheles mosquitoes that may produce respiratory tract sickness in people.
  • Elizabethkingia endophytica– Derived from tarnished sweet corn stalks.
  • Elizabethkingia meningoseptica– May trigger neonatal meningitis epidemics in preterm babies and newborns.
  • Elizabethkingia miricola– This is from secluded water that condensates.

SYMPTOMS

Infected individuals with this bacteria often exhibit septicemia indications that could be fatal if not detected quickly and treated with the necessary medications. In addition to septic shock and sepsis symptoms, many people with Elizabethkingia infection may exhibit lung and respiratory diseases or itchy rashes and edema. Others are as follows:

  • Body pains
  • Bloodstream infection
  • Cellulitis 
  • Meningitis
  • Chills 
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fever 

Diagnosis & Medications

DIAGNOSIS

The physician may recommend the following test for diagnosis of Elizabethkingia infection.

  • Microscopy: The technical field of utilizing microscopes for seeing items and regions of things that are not visible with the unaided eye.
  • MRI– This medical imaging technology creates detailed pictures of your body’s tissues and organs using magnetism and computer-generated radio frequency.
  • Blood Test- Blood tests are utilized to quantify or study proteins, chemicals, cells or other components in the blood. 

TREATMENT

Elizabethkingia infections are Gram-negative bacteria that are highly resistant to numerous antibiotics that doctors often employ to treat illnesses. However, since the variant implicated in the majority of the cases in the present epidemic may be addressed with various medicines, early identification of the bacterium is crucial to ensuring individuals get proper treatment and diagnosis. Treatment must be chosen according to the findings of antimicrobial susceptibility tests for every person infected for the best outcomes. Antibiotics that you may use include the following.

  • Sulfamethoxazole or trimethoprim 
  • Minocycline
  • Rifampin
  • Fluoroquinolones

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