The same type of bacterium that caused shortages and recalls of powdered formula last year has killed a child in Kentucky and damaged the brain of a baby in Missouri.
Two kids have contracted the deadly bacterium that caused shortages and recalls of powdered formula last year; one baby from Kentucky died, and the other from Missouri suffered brain damage.
On Thursday, federal health officials verified that there have been two reports of invasive infections in 2023, both involving children who ingested powdered infant formula manufactured by Abbott Nutrition—the business implicated in the 2022 disaster. The infections were caused by Cronobacter sakazakii.
Officials from the Food and Drug Administration stated that there was no justification to issue more recalls and no proof linking the infections to production. In addition to being present in the natural world, the bacteria can enter baby formula through unsealed packaging.
The FDA released a statement saying, “At this time, there is no indication of a broader public health concern related to this product.”
On November 15, Kentucky health officials informed the CDC that a youngster who drank Similac Total Comfort powdered formula passed away due to a cronobacter sakazakii infection.
The bacterium, which was found in an unsealed Similac NeoSure formula container at her house, caused a brain infection in 6-week-old Mira White of Sikeston, Missouri, which was diagnosed in early March.
The Abbott formula plant in Sturgis, Michigan, was shut down by federal investigators last year due to widespread contamination found in the plant during inspections prompted by four child illnesses, including two fatalities. The plant was found to have the same type of bacteria.
According to her mother, Asian Davis, 33, Mira has experienced almost daily seizures and fits of uncontrollable crying since becoming unwell. Brain scans revealed missing tissue and neurological impairment brought on by the virus.
According to Davis, “It really affected her brain.” “She will develop, but it will take time.”
The facility in Casa Grande, Arizona, that produced the formula marketed for preterm babies was not connected to Mira’s infection, according to FDA investigators who “did not identify a causal link.” No cronobacter was discovered in samples of formula at the plant, according to Abbott authorities. Additionally, unopened cans of Similac NeoSure formula from Mira’s house did not contain any microorganisms.
Following an FDA examination at an Abbott plant in Kentucky on November 21, the agency stated that it “has not found evidence” of contamination. Both the child’s identity and the plant’s location were withheld by officials.
According to Abbott representatives, there is no proof that the illnesses were brought on by circumstances at the company’s manufacturing facilities or contamination in sealed goods.
Food safety response specialist Frank Yiannas, a former FDA employee, issued a warning: a negative test does not imply that there is no contamination.
A positive test outcome is quite significant. “There is no significance to a negative test result,” he stated.
Meal safety advocates point out that these unfortunate incidents show how dangerous powdered formula can be, especially for babies born before their due date, like Mira. They also emphasize how important it is to educate parents and caregivers on the proper handling and preparation of this vital meal.
According to Mitzi Baum, CEO of the nonprofit organization STOP Foodborne Illness, a lot of people are unaware that powdered infant formula isn’t sterile.
The powder itself is easily polluted by sources within the home and may include harmful microbes. Bacteria called Cronobacter sakazakii are frequently found in dry foods, dirt, and surface water.
Premature babies and infants are particularly susceptible to the germ’s infections since their immune systems aren’t fully formed to fight it off.
The CDC issued a warning earlier this year, advising parents to wash their hands, sanitize their surroundings, and prepare equipment before feeding their infants. The alert came after an infant died in 2022 from an infection caused by Cronobacter sakazakii linked to a tainted breast pump.
Officials suspect that the two to four reports of invasive illness caused by cronobacter that the CDC receives each year are underreported. The government will formally start tracking diseases caused by the bacterium on January 1. According to the agency, the most frequent source of cronobacter infections in infants is powdered infant formula.
Prior to Mira’s illness, Asian Davis claimed she was unaware of the existence of Cronobacter sakazakii.
After her early delivery in January, the girl spent weeks in the hospital; nevertheless, by the time she returned home in February, her development was back to normal. Davis observed a change in Mira in March after feeding her the formula for a few days.
Davis remembered, “She stopped sucking and eating.” “I had the mother instinct and thought, ‘There must be something wrong with my baby.'”
Mira was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis following a series of tests, as the bacteria Cronobacter sakazakii was detected in both her spinal fluid and blood.
Attorneys for Davis and her daughter filed a lawsuit against Abbott on Monday, arguing that the business sold a faulty product and ought to have alerted parents of premature babies to the potential for catastrophic illness from powdered formula. The Illinois court where the lawsuit was filed stated that the case was not yet in its system and that processing civil claims can take several days.
The family of a second kid, Ryker Brown of DeKalb, Illinois, who in 2021 contracted a cronobacter infection that resulted in bacterial meningitis and brain impairment after ingesting Similac NeoSure formula, is also parties to the ongoing litigation. How he contracted the infection is unknown.
A formal agreement between the FDA and the Abbott factory in Michigan calls for ongoing monitoring of the operation.
Three more American formula manufacturers were forewarned in August by the EPA, which faced criticism for its tardiness in responding to prior cronobacter outbreaks, to intensify their efforts to prevent contamination at manufacturing facilities.
