Rare Infection Sickens Tulsa County Infant

A Tulsa County baby is sickened by a bacteria sometimes linked to tainted formula.

This is the third baby this month to contract the rare bacterial infection. A 10-day-old Missouri infant died from it. Local health officials are urging caution, but warning parents not to panic.

Health officials say the Tulsa County baby has recovered and they're still looking for the source of the bacteria. They won't say which formula the baby was taking, but they do say it's not the same brand linked to the Missouri baby who died.

It's a rare bacterial infection that's struck three babies in a month and has some parents wary of what they're feeding their infants.

"As a mom of a 14-month old myself, I can definitely sympathize with how moms are going to react to this. But I would just say this is extremely rare," said Alicia Plati, with the Tulsa County Health Department

A 10-day-old baby in Missouri died from a Cronobacter sakazakii infection. Early on, that infant was linked to Enfamil baby formula.

Wal-Mart went as far as pulling the formula from its shelves. But the company behind the product says testing revealed no traces of the bacteria in the formula.

An Illinois baby and now a Tulsa baby have also gotten sick, but health officials say there's no direct link between the three cases.

"I want to make it clear that this formula and this case is not actually linked to the other cases in the country right now," Plati said.

Symptoms of the infection include lack of appetite, irritability, jaundice, difficulty breathing, and a dramatic drop in temperature. Health officials say the Tulsa baby has recovered.

"Generally speaking if we catch the symptoms, it can be treated very easily with a course of antibiotics. And that's what occurred here in Tulsa," Plati said.

According to the CDC, between four and six cases of cronobacter are reported in a typical year.

So far, 10 cases have been reported in 2011, which is still considered to be within the normal range.

Health officials advise you take a few precautions to protect your baby:

• Make sure you heat the water to 70 degrees Celsius, before you mix in formula.
• Throw out pre-made formula after 24 hours.
• Switch to liquid formula over powder if you're really concerned.

But, they emphasize this infection is very rare and testing has not linked the Tulsa baby's sickness to any formula.