Isolation of Enterobacter sakazakii from midgut of Stomoxys calcitrans

Enterobacter sakazakii, a gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium, is an emerging foodborne pathogen that can cause meningitis, sepsis, or necrotizing enterocolitis in newborns, particularly affecting premature or other immunocompromised infants. Although an environmental reservoir and mode of transmission for E. sakazakii has not been clearly identified, a growing number of reports suggest that powdered milk–based infant formulas can be a vehicle for infection. We report the isolation of E. sakazakii from the guts of larvae of the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans, demonstrating an environmental reservoir for E. sakazakii and raising the possibility that environmental contamination by insects may be important in the spread of this opportunistic organism.