Background: Elizabethkingia anophelis is a multi-drug resistant emerging opportunistic pathogen with a high mortality rate, causing healthcare-associated outbreaks worldwide.
Methods: We report a case of E. anophelis pleuritis, resulting from transmission through lung transplantation, followed by a literature review of outbreak reports and strategies to minimize E. anophelis transmission in healthcare settings.
Results: From 1990 to August 2022, 14 confirmed E. anophelis outbreak cohorts and 21 cohorts with suspected E. anophelis outbreaks were reported in literature. A total of 80 scientific reports with recommendations on diagnostics and infection control measures were included and summarized in our study.
Conclusion: Strategies to prevent and reduce spread of E. anophelis include water-free patient rooms, adequate hygiene and disinfection practices, and optimized diagnostic techniques for screening, identification and molecular typing.
Keywords: Elizabethkingia anophelis; Healthcare-associated outbreak; Nosocomial infection.
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