On February 16, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a call for Cronobacter Sakazakii cases associated with powdered infant formula (PIF) alerting healthcare providers of the possibility of an increased number of Cronobacter cases from November 2021 in multiple states. CDC is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to investigate these cases. As part of this investigation, state and local health departments are assisting with collecting information on Cronobacter cases among infants who consumed powdered infant formula in the 10 days prior to illness onset. Onset dates are estimated to range from November 2021 to present date. There is an ongoing investigation of four consumer complaints of infant illness related to products from Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, MI facility received from 9/20/2021 to 1/11/2022. All cases are reported to have consumed powdered infant formula (IF) produced from Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, MI facility. These complaints include three reports of Cronobacter sakazakii infections and one report of Salmonella Newport infection in infants. All four cases related to these complaints were hospitalized, and Cronobacter may have contributed to a death in one case.
As of Today, there have been no report of Cronobacter infection in the District of Columbia. Clinicians are encouraged to maintain vigilance for Cronobacter infections among formula-fed infants and to report all laboratory-confirmed Cronobacter infection to DC Health to help states and CDC monitor the occurrence and better understand factors associated with this illness. This health notice provides reporting guidelines, recommendations, and resources on Cronobacter.