The FDA is investigating the death of a third baby linked to formula produced by Abbott Laboratories.
The agency reported receiving information June 10 about the child’s death in January. It became part of an investigation that looked into formula produced at Abbott’s plant in Sturgis, Mich., in what the FDA has said were unsanitary conditions. The investigation was started after the FDA received reports of four infants being sickened after consuming formula from that plant, with two deaths.
The FDA received on June 10 a complaint about the third baby’s death after consuming Abbott formula. Its report of that death mentioned cronobacter, the bacteria that caused the other illnesses and deaths, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. No other information was available. The FDA’s inspection of the plant showed cronobacter present, although the strain has a different genetic makeup from the one the sickened the infants.
Abbott Laboratories told the Journal that they are cooperating with the FDA, but that the customer was unable to provide lot or UPC code numbers for the formula in question, and there is no evidence of a direct link between Abbott formula and the death.
The FDA shut down the Sturgis plant in February. It reopened early this month but had to close again less than two weeks later due to flooding.