The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with the state health departments, are continuing their investigation of the four cases of Cronobacter infection among infants in the states of Florida, Illinois, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

The infection, which comes from the bacterium Cronobacter sakazakii, is rare but highly fatal as the blood stream and the central nervous system are the ones getting affected. The infection, unfortunately, is most likely to be contracted by infants as they have weakened immune systems, according to FoodBornIllness.com.

With the danger that Cronobacter infection brings, an investigation that includes laboratory testing of various types and brands of powdered infant formula, nursery water, and clinical samples from infants are being done. In addition, manufacturing facilities of instant formula and nursery water are also being inspected.

CDC reported that so far, based on test results, there is no need for a recall of infant formula and that parents may still continue using powdered infant formula as instructed by the manufacturer's directions on the printed label.

In their tests, CDC and the FDA have discovered that recent incidents in Missouri and Illinois are not at all related as evidenced by the DNA fingerprinting of the bacteria they have done.

Though lab tests have found Cronobacter bacteria in opened container of infant formula, opened bottle of nursery water and prepared infant formula provided by the Missouri Department of health and Senior Services, FDA tested factory sealed containers of the products were not found to have the bacteria.

When it comes to the inspection of the facilities, the lot in question tested negative for the bacteria and that there is no evidence to conclude that the infant formula or nursery water was contaminated during manufacturing or shipping.

With the investigation still ongoing, it is highly advised to look out for symptoms of Cronobacter infection just to be safe. Some of the signs that an infant has the infection are: poor feeding response, irritability, jaundice, grunting while breathing, and unstable body temperature.

The infection can also lead to meningitis, which is the inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and the spinal cord. If this were the case, symptoms are: high fever, constant crying, excessive sleepiness or irritability, sluggishness, poor feeding, a bluge in the soft spot on the top of the head, stiffness of the body and neck, and seizures.

To prevent infants from getting infected by the bacteria, CDC recommends breastfeeding whenever possible. When using powdered infant formula, both the CDC and the FDA suggests to make a fresh formula each time the baby needs feeding, and to discard and leftovers.