Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Resistance of Cronbacter sakazakii and Its Implication Ininfant Food Contaminations

Abebe Gedifmeseret

doi:10.23937/2469-5769/1510067

Abstract

Cronobacter sakazakii is an opportunistic foodborne pathogen that causes diseases like meningitis, necrotizing enterocolitis, and bacteremia in immunocompromised, low weight individuals, neonates, infants, and elders. Cronobacter sakazakii has the ability to persist in extremely dried foods such as powdered infant formula (PIF). Infant food contamination by this bacterium is attributed to biofilm which are microbial communities attached to biotic or abiotic surfaces using a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substances.

Highlights

Cronobacter sakazakii is one of an opportunistic pathogen that can contaminate a wide range of foods and causes different disease like meningitis, necrotizing enterocolitis and bacteremia in immunocompromised, low weight individuals, neonates and infants with a mortality rate of 40-80% [1,2,3,4,5]
Cronobacter sakazakii is one of the emerging and opportunistic pathogens linked with outbreaks of life-threatening necrotizing enterocolitis, meningitis, and sepsis in neonates, infants, and other susceptible age groups
Even if Cronobacter sakazakii can contaminate a wide range of foods, especially powdered infant formulas, it is underreported bacterium in different areas

Summary

Introduction

Cronobacter sakazakii (formerly Enterobacter sakazakii) is one of an opportunistic pathogen that can contaminate a wide range of foods and causes different disease like meningitis, necrotizing enterocolitis and bacteremia in immunocompromised, low weight individuals, neonates and infants with a mortality rate of 40-80% [1,2,3,4,5]. Cronobacter sakazakii has several strategies such as osmotic and dry tolerance, tolerating a wide range of growth temperatures, biofilm formation, and antibiotic resistance are tremendous for the survival of this bacterium on hostile environments [9,16,17]. The microbiological safety of powdered infant formula has got increasing attention due to contamination by Cronobacter sakazakii and its causative agents of life-threatening neonatal infections [29].

Results

Conclusion