Dangers of Enterobacter sakazakii in powdered infant formula.The International Baby Food Action Network The International Baby Food Action Network, IBFAN, consists of public interest groups working around the world to reduce infant and young child morbidity and mortality. IBFAN aims to improve the health and well-being of babies and young children, their mothers and their families through (IBFAN IBFAN International Baby Food Action Network ) has written to the ICM, among other international organisations representing health professionals, regarding the presence of Enterobacter sakazakii in powdered infant formula. The board of the Geneva Geneva, canton and city, Switzerland Geneva (jənē`və), Fr. Genève, canton (1990 pop. 373,019), 109 sq mi (282 sq km), SW Switzerland, surrounding the southwest tip of the Lake of Geneva. Infant Feeding Association (GIFA GIFA Internationale Giesserei-Fachmesse (German: International Foundry Trade Fair; Dusseldorf, Germany) GIFA Governing International Fisheries Agreement GIFA Gross Internal Floor Area ), which hosts the IBFAN office in Geneva, is concerned about the reports coming in from Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany relating to the contamination of tins of powdered infant formula and is of the opinion that health care professionals should be more completely informed about the risks inherent in the use of these products. A press release from May 10, 2002, on the IBFAN website (www.ibfan.org/news/press/press10may02.html) carries information about a recent case in Belgium: `How safe are infant formulas? Death of a one-week old formula-fed baby in Belgium'/`Les laits industriels pour nourissons sont-ils des produits fiables? Deces, en Belgique, d'un bebe age de 5 jours, nourri au lait industriel pour nourrissons. IBFAN-GIFA is compiling information about this situation in order to be able to advise health professionals on appropriate action. Documents already on file include: * A statement from the US Food and Drug Administration (April 11, 2002) saying that E. sakazakaii had been found in 14% of samples of milk-based powdered infant formula products. It points out that the majority of cases reported of infection with this bacterium have described neonates with sepsis, meningitis or necrotising enterocolitis enterocolitis /en·tero·co·li·tis/ (-ko-li´tis) inflammation of the small intestine and colon. antibiotic-associated enterocolitis as a consequence of the infection; the case fatality rate case fatality rate n. The proportion of individuals contracting a disease who die of that disease. has been as high as 33% * An article in Paediatric Adj. 1. paediatric - of or relating to the medical care of children; "pediatric dentist" pediatric Bulletin, `Infections associated with powdered infant formula', which stresses that powdered infant formula is not sterile and therefore may be colonised with bacterial organisms, going on to describe cases of infection with Salmonella and E. sakazakii * The patent taken out by Dow Chemicals for use of E. sakazakii as a thickening agent in infant formula Midwives with further pertinent information about possible infections from powdered infant formula are asked to contact ICM HQ, so that data can be collated and forwarded to IBFAN-GIFA. |
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