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Source: Eurosurveillance Source of Article: http://www.flex-news-food.com/pages/19489/Baby/France/france-salmonella-outbreak-infants-linked-baby-milk-formula.html |
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30 September
2008 - On Thursday 18 September 2008, the hospital
of Nantes in west France
On Monday morning
22 September, two additional cases of salmonellosis
in infants were reported by the
At the same time, the database of the French
national reference centre (NRC) for Salmonella showed a recent increase in
the proportion of Salmonella enterica serotype Give
isolates from infants.
The overall number of S. Give isolates received by
the NRC in 2008 was 19, similar compared to the same period in previous
years. However, six of the recent isolates had been obtained from infants,
whereas this proportion was zero in previous years.
Epidemiological investigations
An investigation was started to identify any common
exposures between the three reported cases of infant salmonellosis,
and to identify the serotype(s) involved. In addition, we investigated the cases
of S. Give in infants identified by the NRC.
The parents of the three reported infant salmonella
cases were interviewed by the district health office on their consumption of
foods and drink and other exposures.
The infants, aged 9 weeks, and 4 and 5 months
respectively, had developed symptoms of febrile diarrhoea
between 13 and 18 September and had been hospitalised
between 17 and 19 September. The infants had not been in contact with other diarrhoea cases, and had no common exposures except for
their infant formula milk. All three drank the same brand (brand X) formula
milk.
The batch number of the product consumed during the
days before the onset of symptoms was known for two cases. The serotype of
one of the three isolates was known on 25 September and confirmed as Give.
As of 25 September, five of the six infant cases of
S. Give in the NRC database have been investigated. The infants are between
1.5 and 4.5 months of age and live scattered throughout
They developed symptoms between 17 and 28 September:
all had diarrhoea, which was bloody for four
infants, four had fever, and two were hospitalised.
The parents of all five infants reported feeding their infants the same brand
X of infant powdered formula milk in the week before onset of symptoms. The
batch number is known for one case and it is the same batch as in the two
cases mentioned above. No other common exposures were identified.
The preliminary results of the investigation
strongly suggest the brand X formula milk as the vehicle of transmission. On
22 September, the authorities and the producer decided to recall the
incriminated batch. On 23 September, the producer initiated the recall of
this batch. On 24 September, the recall was extended to all batches since
consumers had difficulties identifying the batch number. Consumers have been
advised not to drink the product and to return it to the place of sale.
Investigations are ongoing, particularly
microbiological examination of the product and investigations of additional
infant salmonellosis cases. Since the recall, five
additional cases of infant salmonellosis have been
reported. All five infants had consumed the incriminated product before
illness. The isolates of these cases are currently being serotyped.
A European alert was issued by
A warning was posted on the European Early Warning and Response System on 25
September, and information was sent via the European Food and Waterborne
Diseases and Zoonoses Network at the European
Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
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