Cronobacter Support
05-12-2009, 06:04 PM
1st International Conference on Cronobacter Poster Abstract 22
Growth of Enterobacteriaceae in Milk
Cronobacter (Enterobacter sakazakii) have been established as opportunistic pathogens associated with ingestion of contaminated reconstituted powdered infant formula (PIF). Cronobacter can be aetiological agents of meningitis, bacteremia and necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates. Enterobacter spp., such as E. aerogenes, E. cloacae and E. hormaechei, have also been implicated as causal organisms in outbreaks within neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). It is possible that other members of the Enterobacteriaceae that also contaminate infant formula could share risk factors similar to Cronobacter and cause cases of neonatal illness. Knowledge of the prevalence and risk factors associated with Enterobacteriaceae strains present in infant formula would contribute to improved detection and control paradigms for the safety of infants. The doubling time for Enterobacter spp. ranged from 22-37 min. The mean doubling time for the majority of Cronobacter spp. commonly found in PIF was 25 minutes, ranging from 22-29 min. Other more rarely isolated Cronobacter spp. showed longer doubling times (41-48 min). This may be relevant to the low occurrence of these species in clinical and food samples. For Klebsiella spp., Salmonella Typhimurium and Citrobacter spp. the doubling times were 23 minutes, 26 minutes and 35.5 min respectively. The ability to ferment lactose did not correspond directly to the growth rates obtained for individual species. Cronobacter and Salmonella are two of the greatest concerns in PIF and the growth of these organisms in IFM is an important factor in progression of disease. This study showed that other Enterobacteriaceae also had similar growth rates in IFM regardless of their ability to ferment lactose. This included Klebsiella pneumoniae and oxytoca as well as Enterobacter hormaechei which have both been previously associated with neonatal infections such as necrotising enterocolitis, bacteremia and meningitis (particularly in NICUs). This work indicates that contamination of IFM, either from endogenous organisms or poor hygiene during preparation, can lead to proliferation of potential pathogens increasing the risk of infection in neonates.
Shane Cooney, Brendan Healy, Stephen O’Brien, Séamus Fanning, Carol Iversen.
Centres 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.
Growth of Enterobacteriaceae in Milk
Cronobacter (Enterobacter sakazakii) have been established as opportunistic pathogens associated with ingestion of contaminated reconstituted powdered infant formula (PIF). Cronobacter can be aetiological agents of meningitis, bacteremia and necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates. Enterobacter spp., such as E. aerogenes, E. cloacae and E. hormaechei, have also been implicated as causal organisms in outbreaks within neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). It is possible that other members of the Enterobacteriaceae that also contaminate infant formula could share risk factors similar to Cronobacter and cause cases of neonatal illness. Knowledge of the prevalence and risk factors associated with Enterobacteriaceae strains present in infant formula would contribute to improved detection and control paradigms for the safety of infants. The doubling time for Enterobacter spp. ranged from 22-37 min. The mean doubling time for the majority of Cronobacter spp. commonly found in PIF was 25 minutes, ranging from 22-29 min. Other more rarely isolated Cronobacter spp. showed longer doubling times (41-48 min). This may be relevant to the low occurrence of these species in clinical and food samples. For Klebsiella spp., Salmonella Typhimurium and Citrobacter spp. the doubling times were 23 minutes, 26 minutes and 35.5 min respectively. The ability to ferment lactose did not correspond directly to the growth rates obtained for individual species. Cronobacter and Salmonella are two of the greatest concerns in PIF and the growth of these organisms in IFM is an important factor in progression of disease. This study showed that other Enterobacteriaceae also had similar growth rates in IFM regardless of their ability to ferment lactose. This included Klebsiella pneumoniae and oxytoca as well as Enterobacter hormaechei which have both been previously associated with neonatal infections such as necrotising enterocolitis, bacteremia and meningitis (particularly in NICUs). This work indicates that contamination of IFM, either from endogenous organisms or poor hygiene during preparation, can lead to proliferation of potential pathogens increasing the risk of infection in neonates.
Shane Cooney, Brendan Healy, Stephen O’Brien, Séamus Fanning, Carol Iversen.
Centres 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.