Cronobacter sakazakii (C. sakazakii)

Cronobacter sakazakii is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, opportunistic bacterial pathogen belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family (CDC, 2024). It is primarily known for causing severe, life-threatening infections in neonates, such as meningitis, sepsis, and necrotizing enterocolitis, often linked to the consumption of contaminated powdered infant formula (StatPearls, 2023). The bacterium exhibits remarkable resistance to environmental stressors, particularly desiccation, which facilitates its persistence in dry food production environments (WHO, 2023). While the organism itself is not a single molecular target, its essential biological processes—including cell wall synthesis and protein translation—are targeted by various antibiotic classes like beta-lactams and aminoglycosides (PubMed, 2022). The clinical management of C. sakazakii is increasingly challenged by the emergence of multi-drug resistant strains, necessitating the development of new therapeutic strategies and robust diagnostic biomarkers (NIH, 2021).

Other names

Enterobacter sakazakiiYellow-pigmented Enterobacter cloacae

Antibiotics targeting this organism typically act by inhibiting cell wall synthesis, disrupting protein translation at the ribosome, or interfering with DNA replication and repair.