Enterobacter sakazakii is a gram-negative rod within the family Enterobacteriaceae, genus Enterobacter. The organism was called "yellow-pigmented Enterobacter cloacae" until 1980 when it was renamed Enterobacter sakazakii. Urmenyi and Franklin reported the first two known cases of meningitis caused by E. sakazakii in 1961. Subsequently, cases of meningitis, septicemia, and necrotizing enterocolitis due to E. sakazakii have been reported worldwide. Although most documented cases involve infants, reports describe infections in adults as well. Overall, case-fatality rates have varied considerably with rates as high as 80 percent in some instances. While a reservoir for E. sakazakii is unknown, a growing number of reports suggest a role for powdered milk-based infant formulas as a vehicle for infection