Epidemiologists Weigh Adding Cronobacter to Disease Watch List Following Similac Infant Formula Recall

The move to add cronobacter to a national disease watch list was sparked by last year’s Similac recall, which was linked to at least two infant deaths.

Following a deadly Similac infant formula recall issued last year, which caused hundreds of reported illnesses nationwide, epidemiologists representing state health agencies will decide in June whether to recommend Cronobacter sakazaii be added to a list of diseases that must be reported to the federal government.

The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CTSE) will vote on whether it will recommend the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which it partners with, add cronobacter to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. The list includes more than 100 illnesses of special priority due to their potential public health risks.

Concerns about the widespread impact of cronobacter infections and illnesses gained nationwide attention last year, after Abbott Laboratories recalled Similac, Alimentum and Elecare formula products in February 2022, following the discovery of Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella Newport bacteria in powdered infant formula distributed nationwide, which has been blamed for at least two deaths.

Similac Recall Over Cronobacter Illnesses

The infant formula recall was traced back to manufacturing problems at a Michigan facility, which was shut down after investigations revealed Abbott ignored industry safety standards and best practices at its facility for years, endangering children for the sake of profits.

The cronobacter infections were widespread by the time the problems were reported to families nationwide. However, the manufacturer and health officials in at least some states were already aware of reports months before the recall was issued.

Abbott now faces a number of Similac recall lawsuits and class action claims, alleging that it placed it’s desire for profits before the health and safety of children being fed their products.

The CTSE, which includes epidemiologists working with state and territorial health agencies throughout the U.S., has already identified cronobacter as a problem that requires closer investigation, and formed a working group during the winter to examine the problem. It is widely expected that the council will vote in June to add cronobacter to the national disease watchlist.

If that occurs, it will call for all cases of cronobacter detected in the U.S. to be reported to the CDC. This could help the agency identify cronobacter outbreaks faster in the future, and help the CDC learn more about the illness itself, how it spreads, and could help prevent future outbreaks.

Another major concern regarding cronobacter is that it is often misdiagnosed as sepsis or meningitis. A cronobacter misdiagnosis could result in poor treatment of the illness and could result in burgeoning outbreaks being missed in their early stages.

Only two states currently require doctors report cronobacter cases, including Michigan and Minnesota.

May 2023 Similac Recall Lawsuit Update

Problems with Similac formula have resulted in two separate coordinated proceedings in the federal court system, including one multidistrict litigation (MDL) established before U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly in the Northern District of Illinois for all Similac, Alimentum and EleCare recall lawsuits. A separate MDL proceeding has also been established for all Similac lawsuits and Enfamil lawsuits brought over the risk of necrotizing entercolotis (NEC) caused by cow’s milk formula products, which are centralized before U.S. District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer.

While early pretrial proceedings before Judge Kennelly are still being established in the litigation over contaminated baby formula, Several Similac NEC lawsuits before Judge Pallmeyer have been selected for bellwether trials, which will be held to help the parties evaluate how juries will respond to certain evidence and testimony about the risks associated with use of cow’s milk formula among premature infants, which has been linked to NEC.

Although the outcome of these bellwether trials will not be binding on other plaintiffs pursuing lawsuits against Abbott, they may have a large impact on the amount of Similac settlements the manufacturer may pay to avoid the need for each individual lawsuit to go before a separate jury.