Enterobacter sakazakii
Enterobacter sakazakii is a gram-negative non spore forming rod within the family Enterobacteriaceae, genus Enterobacter. The genus Enterobacter is also part of the coliform group.
The organism was originally called “yellow-pigmented Enterobacter cloacae” until the 1980’s when it was renamed Enterobacter sakazakii. Urmenyi and Franklin reported the first two known cases of meningitis caused by Enterobacter sakazakii in 1961. Since then, further cases of meningitis, septicemia, and necrotizing enterocolitis due to Enterobacter sakazakii have been reported around the world. Although the majority of documented cases involve infants, reports also describe infections within adults.
Overall, the fatality rates have varied considerably and although rare, as high as 80 percent in some instances have been reported. While a reservoir for Enterobacter sakazakii is unknown, a growing number of reports suggest a role for powdered milk-based infant formulas as a vehicle for infection.
Due to further risk assessments, there is very little known about virulence factors and pathogenicity of Enterobacter sakazakii. However concerns are present and some powdered ingredients are now considered a risk if it is added to products for infants and the elderly to consume. They include whey powder, cheese powder, starches, vitamins and so forth.
It looks like this could be an up and coming pathogen in 2007 and it won’t be long before the regulators start to include this bacterium into their list of “pathogens of concerns”.
