Cronobacter carriage in neonate and adult intestinal tracts.

A total of 7 Cronobacter strains were isolated from 703 fecal samples collected in Jinan from June 13 to December 30, 2011, with the positive rate of Cronobacter spp. being 1.0% (95% confidence interval 0.6%-1.4%). Three Cronobacter sakazakii stains were isolated from 157 fecal samples of healthy neonates (95% confidence interval 0.4%-5.5%). This number was slightly higher than that isolated from 273 fecal samples of healthy adults, in which 1 strain of C. sakazakii and 1 strain of Cronobacter malonaticus were isolated, and that from 173 fecal samples of adults with acute diarrhea, in which 1 strain of C. sakazakii and 1 strain of C. malonaticus were isolated, but the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). The Cronobacter isolates were all from different genetic sources. It should be noted that Cronobacter carriage may cause infection under certain conditions, especially in neonates.