Lactalis : the same bacteria that persisted in the plant for 12 years

yupiramos/Epictura

Published the 02.02.2018 at 15h35

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Lactalis “can not exclude the possibility that babies may have consumed contaminated milk” between 2005 and 2017, concedes this Thursday, the Echos, the CEO of Lactalis, Emmanuel Besnier. At the time, the salmonella Agona was already “contained in the infrastructure of the tower number 1” of the plant, pécise-t-it. The bacterium was already present in the premises that belonged to the company Celia, before they can be redeemed the following year by Lactalis. Twelve years so that the same bacteria that lives on in the precincts of the factory where were manufactured products food for babies. This information engages the public to question : how many babies have been contaminated by salmonella Agona for the past twelve years without anyone noticing, or does the reports ?

The Pasteur Institute has identified 25 cases of “sporadic” salmonellosis associated with milk Lactalis between 2006 and 2016. “We first proved that the same salmonella agona was implicated in two outbreaks of salmonellosis, 2005 and 2017. And we wondered where had been able to reside the strain during the twelve years between-time,” said François-Xavier Weill, bacteriologist and director of the national reference Center for salmonella at the Pasteur, as quoted by The New Republic. According to him, “the only hypothesis possible scientifically, is that it (be) remained in the factory in question”. And to add : “It is extremely difficult to find if this is the case. But the DNA speaks very clearly, and it directs to this plant.”

Lactalis points to the responsibility of an outside laboratory

In 2017, work has been undertaken in the buildings. Partitions were broken down, which would have released the bacteria which is then spread freely. Emmanuel Besnier asserts that the products have always been “in conformity with the sanitary requirements” and points to the responsibility of the external laboratory that has conducted 16 000 analyses in 2017 on the finished products without anything detect. “We ask a lot of questions about the sensitivity of the analyses made in this laboratory. We have a lot of trouble understanding how to 16 000 analyses carried out in 2017 have been able to reveal anything. We have doubts about the reliability of the test. It is not possible that there has been zero positive”.

Many children still sick

Some of the children contaminated by salmonella after consuming milk Lactalis always have health problems several weeks after the initial infection said on 26th January, the members of the Association of families victims of the milk contaminated with salmonella (AFVLCS) during their press conference. “A lot of children do relapse, it is almost systematic,” and testified Ségolène Noviant, vice-president of the AFVLCS. It was also reported several times that his own son, infected by the milk Lactalis with gastroenteritis Salmonella initially, has made several relapses of diarrhea and of fever and a 4th hospitalization was scheduled for 30 January. It would also have had bronchiolitis in January. It would not be the only one in this case, after the association receives many calls.

For Quentin Guillemain, president of the Association of families of victims of the milk contaminated with salmonella (AFVLCS), it is obvious that the more than 25 babies have been contaminated : “the strain of salmonella agona was identified in the test only if the laboratory that performs it is referenced by the Institut Pasteur and only 1.200 are in France. Not to mention the children who were not diagnosed despite symptoms convergent”.

Gastro-enteritis with salmonella are not benign

According to this study on a model of food poisoning-type human on healthy mice and published by the Sanford Burnham’s Prebys Medical Disvorery Institute in the journal Science, the repeated infections could cause a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine or colon. The study lasted nearly eight years : each mouse received a dose of bacteria of the type Salmonella benign in very small quantities and without risk to life, but an inflammation of the intestine appeared and increased in all mouse over of the repetition of the poisoning. The researchers were also able to see that even stopping cause these infections, inflammation of the intestine did not disappear. The damage was done. The inflammatory disease of the colon and the intestine was launched.