Cronobacter Support
08-13-2009, 10:12 AM
Defective Baby Formula Causing Bacterial Infections?
NEWS ALERT: [Dec. 1, 2008] The New Mexico Health Department in Santa Fe, NM has reported that a baby fed powdered baby formula has died and another baby has been hospitalized due to a rare infection.
What is the Enterobacter sakazakii Bacteria?
Enterobacter sakazakii is a Gram-negative rod-shaped pathogenic bacterium of the genus Enterobacter. It is a rare cause of invasive infection with historically high case fatality rates (40-80%) in infants. It can cause bacteraemia, meningitis and necrotising enterocolitis. E. sakazakii infection has been associated with the use of infant formula even after extended period of storage for more than 2 years.
Tainted Baby Formula
Both babies had been fed powdered baby formula along other foods. The two babies had different strains of the bacteria Enterobacter sakazakii, which is a dangerous bacteria that can cause bacterial meningitis, infections, deadly intestinal inflammation in newborn babbies, especially premature infants or others with weakened immune systems. Infant infections with the germ have been associated with contaminated powdered formula products. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that other sources of contamination may be responsible for the Enterobacter sakazakii outbreak and NOT the baby formula.
Bacteria in Infant / Baby Formula. What is the magnitude of the problem?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the true magnitude of the problem is unknown due to lack of surveillance and reporting systems for Enterobacter sakazakii in most countries. The magnitude of the problem is generally described in terms of frequency and severity. The frequency of the disease in infants appears to be very low, yet the disease is devastating. A review of cases in infants reported in the English literature from 1961 to 2003 found 48 cases of Enterobacter sakazakii induced illness among infants. The US FoodNet 2002 survey found that the rate of invasive Enterobacter sakazakii infection among infants under one years old was 1 per 100000. Mortality rates from Enterobacter sakazakii infection have been reported to be from 20% to >50%. Significant long-term effects in the form of neurological deficiencies can result from the infection, especially among those with severe meningitis and cerebritis.
NEWS ALERT: [Dec. 1, 2008] The New Mexico Health Department in Santa Fe, NM has reported that a baby fed powdered baby formula has died and another baby has been hospitalized due to a rare infection.
What is the Enterobacter sakazakii Bacteria?
Enterobacter sakazakii is a Gram-negative rod-shaped pathogenic bacterium of the genus Enterobacter. It is a rare cause of invasive infection with historically high case fatality rates (40-80%) in infants. It can cause bacteraemia, meningitis and necrotising enterocolitis. E. sakazakii infection has been associated with the use of infant formula even after extended period of storage for more than 2 years.
Tainted Baby Formula
Both babies had been fed powdered baby formula along other foods. The two babies had different strains of the bacteria Enterobacter sakazakii, which is a dangerous bacteria that can cause bacterial meningitis, infections, deadly intestinal inflammation in newborn babbies, especially premature infants or others with weakened immune systems. Infant infections with the germ have been associated with contaminated powdered formula products. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that other sources of contamination may be responsible for the Enterobacter sakazakii outbreak and NOT the baby formula.
Bacteria in Infant / Baby Formula. What is the magnitude of the problem?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the true magnitude of the problem is unknown due to lack of surveillance and reporting systems for Enterobacter sakazakii in most countries. The magnitude of the problem is generally described in terms of frequency and severity. The frequency of the disease in infants appears to be very low, yet the disease is devastating. A review of cases in infants reported in the English literature from 1961 to 2003 found 48 cases of Enterobacter sakazakii induced illness among infants. The US FoodNet 2002 survey found that the rate of invasive Enterobacter sakazakii infection among infants under one years old was 1 per 100000. Mortality rates from Enterobacter sakazakii infection have been reported to be from 20% to >50%. Significant long-term effects in the form of neurological deficiencies can result from the infection, especially among those with severe meningitis and cerebritis.