[Neonatal meningitis caused by Enterobacter sakazakii: milk powder is not sterile and bacteria like milk too!].

Powdered milk for infants can contain very low numbers of Enterobacter sakazakii. Larger amounts of this organism can result in non-infective colonization. In infants, particularly the premature newborn, such colonization has been associated with abdominal distention and bloody diarrhoea or bacteriuria, but cases of sepsis and meningitis have also been reported. Infection has been associated with the use of contaminated spoons or blenders as well as the habit of keeping the ready-made milk hot in bottle-heaters. The risk of contamination of the milk can be eliminated by boiling bottles, teats and spoons as well as disinfecting the blender before use. The possibility of bacterial replication can be significantly reduced by keeping the ready-made milk in a refrigerator and warming it up immediately before use eg by using a microwave oven.