Cronobacter Support
05-06-2009, 09:54 AM
1st International Conference on Cronobacter Poster Abstract 16
Cronobacter (Enterobacter sakazakii) and the risk to infant health.
Cronobacter spp. are considered emerging opportunistic pathogens and the aetiological agents in life-threatening infections amongst infants. The risk posed by contaminated infant formula for consumption by neonates is clear, however the risks associated with powdered follow-on formulae intended for consumption by older infants is now also under consideration. The aim of this work was to test commercially available milk and non-milk based infant drinks intended for consumption by infants over six months of age for the presence of Cronobacter spp. A review of the published cases of Cronobacter infection in children was also undertaken in order to assess the incidence and case fatality rate in infants compared to neonates. A total of 470 samples comprising 31 different products from 18 brand names belonging to seven companies were tested for the presence of Cronobacter species. No milk or soy based infant formula powders were found to contain Cronobacter species. However, two cereal-based infant drinks were positive for Cronobacter sakazakii. A review of the published cases spanning the past 48 years did not reveal any fatalities attributable to Cronobacter spp. in children over three months. The low incidence of Cronobacter in infant powdered drinks, lack of fatal Cronobacter infections in infants greater than three months and low incidence of Cronobacter-related reported illness in this age group indicated that ingestion of these products currently present a low risk for the intended consumers.
Stephen O’Brien1, Brendan Healy1, Carmen Negredo1, Wayne Anderson2, Séamus Fanning1 and Carol Iversen1
1Centres for Food Safety & Food-borne Zoonomics. UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. 2 Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1, Ireland.
Cronobacter (Enterobacter sakazakii) and the risk to infant health.
Cronobacter spp. are considered emerging opportunistic pathogens and the aetiological agents in life-threatening infections amongst infants. The risk posed by contaminated infant formula for consumption by neonates is clear, however the risks associated with powdered follow-on formulae intended for consumption by older infants is now also under consideration. The aim of this work was to test commercially available milk and non-milk based infant drinks intended for consumption by infants over six months of age for the presence of Cronobacter spp. A review of the published cases of Cronobacter infection in children was also undertaken in order to assess the incidence and case fatality rate in infants compared to neonates. A total of 470 samples comprising 31 different products from 18 brand names belonging to seven companies were tested for the presence of Cronobacter species. No milk or soy based infant formula powders were found to contain Cronobacter species. However, two cereal-based infant drinks were positive for Cronobacter sakazakii. A review of the published cases spanning the past 48 years did not reveal any fatalities attributable to Cronobacter spp. in children over three months. The low incidence of Cronobacter in infant powdered drinks, lack of fatal Cronobacter infections in infants greater than three months and low incidence of Cronobacter-related reported illness in this age group indicated that ingestion of these products currently present a low risk for the intended consumers.
Stephen O’Brien1, Brendan Healy1, Carmen Negredo1, Wayne Anderson2, Séamus Fanning1 and Carol Iversen1
1Centres for Food Safety & Food-borne Zoonomics. UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. 2 Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1, Ireland.