Given the general infrequency of Elizabethkingia infections, the winter 2015-16 outbreak in Wisconsin is presenting a novel challenge for state and federal health authorities, as well as to providers working directly with patients. Despite the rarity of this health issue, multiple health organizations are providing information for the public about the bacteria. The emergent nature of these infections is also prompting coverage from a variety of regional and national media outlets.

Over the winter of 2015-16, public health officials identified an outbreak of blood infections in Wisconsin caused by the bacteria Elizabethkingia anophelis .

Elizabethkingia is a genus of gram-negative bacteria commonly found in soil and water. The organisms seldom cause disease in humans, but when they do, illness in adults typically manifests as a serious blood infection resistant to many antibiotics.

This is a cautionary tale about the importance of social media literacy, involving a company with a limited online profile, the hot-button issue of "pink slime" and a contingent of interested citizens with active social media accounts.