Outbreak Investigation, Public Health and Health Policy
30/30 Education Session - 30 minutes
Jolianne Stone Tocco, MPH
Infection Prevention Manager
INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center
Blanchard, Oklahoma
Nothing to disclose
Crystal Heishman, MBA, MSN, RN, ONC, CIC, FAPIC
Infection Preventionist
University of Louisville Hospital
Louisville, Kentucky
This session will discuss the first reported outbreak of a multi-drug resistant strain of Elizabethkingia anophelis in a pediatric long-term acute care facility in the U.S. Participants will learn more about the investigation, which included chart review of case-patients, assessment of facility infection control practices and environmental cleaning protocols, environmental sampling, and genetic analysis of human and environmental isolates through whole genome sequencing (WGS).
E. anophelis was isolated from hand hygiene sinks, soiled room sinks, shower heads, shower trolley beds, and shower drains. WGS showed all environmental isolates of E. anophelis were highly-related to the human isolates indicating environmental contamination of the outbreak strain. These outcomes illustrate the potential risk of E. anophelis as an HAI among high-risk pediatric populations.
This outbreak highlights the importance of environmental contamination with water pathogens. Participants will explore the nature of this outbreak and the implications these pathogens could have on high-risk populations in healthcare settings.