Health officials in the United States will now officially track infections caused by cronobacter, a rare but potentially deadly bacterium that sickened infants and led to a nationwide shortage of infant formula last year.
The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, a nonprofit group that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has agreed to include cronobacter infections on the list of serious conditions reported to the agency. Currently, there are around 120 infections and diseases on the national watchlist.
While states will not be required to notify the CDC about cronobacter infections, they are strongly encouraged to do so. Currently, only two states, Minnesota and Michigan, have mandatory reporting of such infections. This change will go into effect next year, although states may choose to start reporting earlier.
This decision by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists comes after months of advocacy from experts and food safety advocates who called for improved surveillance of these deadly infections, which primarily affect vulnerable infants. The implementation of standard criteria for identifying and reporting probable and confirmed cronobacter cases is a significant step towards better tracking and prevention of the disease.
Cronobacter is a type of bacteria that is commonly found in the environment. When it contaminates powdered formula, it can cause life-threatening bloodstream infections and meningitis in infants, especially those who are very young or already ill.
Dr. Julia Haston, an expert on cronobacter infections at the CDC, revealed earlier this year that the agency typically receives reports of only two to four invasive infections annually, despite an estimated 18 cases actually occurring.
She stated, “Because we don’t routinely perform surveillance, we don’t know the true incidence of infection or the number of deaths per year.” Haston also highlighted the severity of the disease, noting that up to 40% of affected infants do not survive.
Last year, an outbreak of cronobacter infections linked to powdered formula from Abbott Nutrition’s Michigan plant resulted in four sickened infants and two fatalities. While no direct link was established between the infections and the formula, the plant was shut down by the FDA due to contamination and other issues. This led to a widespread shortage of infant formula that lasted for months.
So far this year, the CDC has received one report of a cronobacter infection in an infant. The bacteria were discovered in an open can of powdered formula in the child’s home, while an unopened can of formula did not contain cronob
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