Contaminated Powder Infant Formula linked to Neonatal Meningitis and Bacteremia in Infants
A recent study concluded that powdered infant formula can cause serious illness or death in infants. The infants are typically diagnosed with Meningitis,Salmonella, Sepsis or Bacteraemia. These illnesses can often lead to brain damage or death. Powdered infant formula can be contaminated with harmful bacteria during the manufacturing process or contaminated if not handled properly. Doctors often diagnose the illness as Meningitis, Salmonella, Sepsis, or Bacteraemia. These illness can be caused by the bacteria E. Sakazakii.
Over the past 40 years that have only been 50 reported cases of people effected with E. Sakazakii, but there is evidence to suggest that many cases go unreported. Most of the reported cases have been infants with the death rate being between 33% and 50% in infants. Infants that do survive usually suffer permanent brain damage.
E. Sakazakii can be found in the environment, but scientific studies have linked the infection in infants to powder infant formulas. Powder Infant Formulas are not sterile and can become contaminated with high amounts of E. Sakazakii during the manufacturing process, or by improper preparation, dilution, storage, or hygiene.
Research has concluded that infants most at risk for becoming infected are those with Low birth weights or less than two months old. This condition also suggest that infected infants may be lacking sufficient colonization of the gastrointestinal tract with normal bacterial flora to compete with the opportunistic pathogen, E. sakazakii. Similarly, in the adult cases, most had underlying diseases that could have increased their chances of being infected with E. sakazakii.
Infants that are infected by E. sakazakii show the following symptoms: poor feeding response, irritability, jaundice, grunting respirations, and instability of body temperature. As the infection progess infants will being to suffer from severe neurological impairment, Ventriculitis, brain cysts and abscesses, cerebral infarction, and hydrocephalus.
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The questions to ask about Powder Infant Formula
1. Is Powder Infant Formula safe?
PIF is safe as long as the manufacturing process is not contaminated and all the directions for use are followed exactly. Pay head to any warnings on the box.
2. What is Powder Infant Formula contaminated with?
Well Powder Infant Formula can be contaminated with any number of things, but on of the main things to watch out for is Enterobacter Sakakii which can cause Neonatal Meningitis or Bacteremia in infants.
3. How can it be contaminated?
Powder Infant Formula is not sterilized when it manufactured and can become contaminated during the manufacturing process.
4. Is there a way I can tell if my Powder Infant Formula is contaminated?
A lab test can be done to determine if your Powder Infant Formula is contaminated, but there is no way to tell just by looking at it
5. My infant has had Powder Infant Formula will he get Neonatal Meningitis or Bacteremia?
The infants most at risk for these disease are those that are born premature, have a low birth weight and those less than two months old
6. My child has had powder infant formula what are some sign of Neonatal Meningitis or Bacteremia?
Fever, Poor feeding, Respiratory Distress, Stiff Neck, Convulsion, and Bulging Fontanelle
7. If there any alternative to Powder Infant Formula?
Yes, Liquid or Concentrated liquid Formula both are sterilized during production
8. My child was feed Powder infant formula as an infant and is now a minor child with Meningitis or Bacteremia, what should I do?
Contact a lawyer to have an investigation done and what your right are. In many state you have a cause of action until the child reaches the age of majority.
Additional Resources:
Recalls on Infant feeding productsEnterbacter sakazakii and Salmonella in powdered infant formula
Enterbacter sakazakii and other microorganisms in Powder Infant Formula
Clinical Consequences of Enterobacter sakazakii Infections
Enterobacter Sakazakii General Microbiology
E. Sakazakii found in Korean Powder Infant Formula
can i pls get a write up on antibiotic sensitivity pattern of enterobacter sakazakii isolated from different milk based infant formnla
My son who is now 21 had meningitis when he was a baby. I fed him powder formula the whole 1st year of his life. This Formula was aquired through our states WIC program. At the time the doctors could not tell me what caused the Meningitis. This is the first time I have heard that there is a link between the formula and the meningitis. what can we do? My son stayed in the hospital ICU for a month when he was 10 months old. The Meningitis pushed back his normal growth and physical abilities by many months. Prior to getting the meningitis he could pull him self up and stand holding on to furniture. By the time he got out of the hospital he couldnt even roll over. He had to start all over again, and was given physical therapy. Please email me any info you may have. lisa96792@msn.com
Ms Castro - Meningitis can be caused by a number of things , infant formula is one . In order to determine if infant formula caused your son's illness test must be conduted to determine if he was infected eith E. Sak . If this was not done 20 years ago then it is doubtful it will ever be known . Additionally your son is 21 years old and it may be too late to bring an action even if you were able to prove the formula caused it . We hope this answers your questions .
my twin boys were born 11 wks early. they both recieved powdered formula. within a coulple of days both were fighting for their lives. one didn't make it, and the other boy is 4 now and is like a newborn baby. so please do not feed your chlid powdered formula