Scoop: E.sakazakii to become a Notifiable Disease
Tuesday, 5 April 2005, 12:33 pm
"A potentially fatal form of meningitis in premature babies linked to contaminated milk powder should be made a notifiable disease according to a report released today. The internationally peer reviewed report into Government agencies' response to infant formula contamination follows the death in July last year of a premature Waikato infant who died of meningitis. The death was caused by Enterobacter sakazakii sourced to powdered infant formula used in providing care for the baby.
Along with any notification of any instances of the disease, the report also recommends each notification be investigated and efforts made to trace and isolate the source of infection. In 2004 the Ministry and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority advised all neonatal intensive care units again..."