Isolation and molecular identification of Cronobacter spp. from powdered infant formula (PIF) in Bangladesh

Cronobacter spp. formerly known as Enterobacter sakazakii is an occasional contaminant of powdered infant formula (PIF). This pathogen has been associated with out-breaks of a rare form of infant meningitis, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), bacteremia and neonate deaths. The organism is ranked by the International Commission for Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF) as a ‘Severe hazard for restricted populations, life threatening or substantial chronic sequelae or long duration’. Present study aimed to isolate Cronobacter spp. from PIF and clinical samples, such as blood, stool and CSF collected from 93 neonates and child patients, age ranged from 0 to 24 months. We did not detect Cronobacter spp. in any of these samples. Later 32 PIF samples collected from retail markets in Bangladesh were tested for the presence of Cronobacter spp. Of these only one was found to be contaminated with Cronobacter sp. This is the first case of Cronobacter contaminated PIF found in Bangladesh to be reported. The organism was successfully identified based on its typical culture characteristics, producing blue–green colonies on chromogenic DFI agar and also by a standardized conventional PCR assay targeting the alpha glucosidase and 16 S rRNA gene sequence of Cronobacter sp. The 16 S rRNA gene was partially sequenced to provide for the phylogenetic analysis of this isolate (DA01) and found to cluster with some other Cronobacter isolates in the phylogram.