Wisconsin Investigates Mysterious Infection After 18 Dead

Wisconsin officials said Thursday they are investigating an outbreak caused by a rarely seen bacteria that’s made 44 mostly elderly people sick and possibly killed 18 of them.

The bacteria’s called Elizabethkingia anophelis, and it’s been linked with mostly hospital outbreaks. But the Wisconsin cases don’t have any clear links yet and they have called in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for help.

“The Elizabethkingia infection has been detected in 44 patients located in southeastern and southern Wisconsin,” state health officer Karen McKeown said in a statement.

“The majority of patients are over the age of 65 years, and all have serious…

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