Enterobacter sakazakii Infections in Neonates Associated with Intrinsic Contamination of a Powdered Infant Formula

• Published in: Infection control and hospital epidemiology Vol. 10; no. 9; pp. 398 - 401
• Main Authors: Simmons, Bryan P., Gelfand, Michael S., Haas, Michael, Metts, Linda, Ferguson, John
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States SLACK Incorporated 01-09-1989
• Subjects: Baby formula; Bacterial contamination; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - microbiology; Disease Outbreaks; Diseases; Enterobacter sakazakii; Enterobacteriaceae Infections - epidemiology; Enterobacteriaceae Infections - microbiology; Food Contamination - analysis; Food Handling - standards; Humans; Infant Food - analysis; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Infections; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; Microorganisms; Neonatal intensive care; Neonatal intensive care units; Sepsis; Tennessee; Tennessee
• ISSN: 0899-823X; 1559-6834
• DOI: 10.1086/646060

We report an outbreak of Enterobacter sakazakii infection and colonization in neonates related to an infant formula contaminated during the manufacturing process. The outbreak occurred in a 20-bed neonatal intensive care unit during a six-week period in 1988, and involved a total of four infants. Three infants had sepsis and three had bloody diarrhea; all patients responded to intravenous antibiotics and recovered without complications. The E sakazakii isolated from the formula had the same plasmid and multilocus enzyme profile as those isolated from patients. This outbreak demonstrates the significance of commercially contaminated formulas and emphasizes the need to limit contamination and multiplication of bacteria in enteral formulas.