WASHINGTON — While it continues to test various brands of powdered infant formula to determine the origin of a rare bacteria that killed two infants and sickened two others, the Food and Drug Administration says parents may continue to use powdered infant formula.
Last month, Price Chopper, Wal-Mart Stores, Walgreens and Supervalu voluntarily pulled Enfamil Premium Newborn after a Missouri baby who consumed it died. Since then, testing by the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the product to be safe.
Nursery water is also being tested by the FDA, CDC and health agencies in Florida, Illinois, Missouri and Oklahoma as are clinical samples from the four infants, when available. Manufacturing facilities for formula and nursery water are being inspected.
DNA fingerprinting of the bacteria from two cases of Cronobacter show that the bacteria differ genetically, suggesting they’re not related. Bacteria from the other two cases aren’t available for testing.
Samples provided by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services found Cronobacter bacteria in an opened container of infant formula, an opened bottle of nursery water and prepared infant formula. But it's unclear how the contamination occurred since the FDA tested factory sealed containers of powdered formula and nursery water with the same lot numbers as the opened containers and no Cronobacter bacteria were found.
