A West Virginia infant’s Salmonella infection is likely linked to recalled baby formula, according to state health officials. The discovery of this illness follows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) announcement one week ago that the agency is investigating three Cronobacter infections and one Salmonella Newport infection in Texas reported among infants who consumed baby formula that is now under recall.
The Salmonella infection was reported in Texas. The Cronobacter infections were reported in Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. The baby in Ohio died.
Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare powdered instant baby formulas, all made at Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, MI facility, have all been recalled in association with the investigation of these illnesses. The baby formula recall includes Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare products with the following identifying information on the bottom of the cans.
- the first two digits of the code are 22 through 37 and
- the code on the container contains K8, SH, or Z2, and
- the expiration date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later.
As part of its investigation, the FDA inspected Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, MI facility. They collected several environmental swabs for testing. Several of them were positive for Cronobacter. Reviewing the company’s records, the FDA discovered that the company had previously found environmental contamination with Cronobacter sakazakii and destroyed product due to the presence of Cronobacter.
What is Cronobacter?
Cronobacter is a bacteria that can live on dry foods such as powdered milk and infant formula. In infants, Cronobacter can cause sepsis and meningitis. Symptoms of these serious illnesses include: blotchy skin, a pinprick rash, high fever, shivering, fatigue, rapid breathing/difficulty breathing, unusual grunting sounds, refusal to feed, stiff jerky movements, or a very floppy body, irritability, diarrhea, cold hands and feet.
If your infant has these symptoms, seek medical help right away.
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If your baby developed a Salmonella or Cronobacter infection and you would like a free consultation with an experienced Food Safety lawyer, please contact us. You can reach us by calling 1-888-377-8900, sending a text to 612-261-0856, or by completing the form below. There is no obligation and we don’t get paid unless we win.
