Key takeaways:
- Out of nearly 60 people who have fallen ill after consuming raw milk, at least 45 have tested positive for campylobacteriosis.
- Most people who were sick reported drinking raw milk from two different producers.
Health officials are investigating two separate foodborne outbreaks that have sickened dozens of people in Idaho who drank raw milk.
Since May 19, nearly 60 people have fallen ill after consuming raw milk, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (DHW). At least 45 of those people have tested positive for campylobacteriosis, a bacterial infection that can cause diarrhea that is sometimes bloody, fever, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting, the department said.
Data derived from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Most people who were sick reported drinking raw milk from two different producers — one in northern Idaho and one in southern Idaho, according to the state health department, which did not name the producers.
“Both milking operations are working in collaboration with DHW and local public health agencies to identify and fix any potential sources of contamination,” the department said in a press release, which noted that authorities are currently testing samples to help detect batches that might be tainted.
The CDC cautions against consuming raw milk as it exposes consumers to harmful pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Listeria and Salmonella.
Raw dairy does not undergo a pasteurization process, which is the only way to effectively kill harmful bacteria, according to the CDC.
Younger children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk for severe illness from raw dairy, the CDC said.
In April, a California dairy recalled some raw cheese products that the FDA said may be responsible for a multistate E. coli outbreak.
An infant in New Mexico died earlier this year from a Listeria infection officials believe was contracted through exposure to unpasteurized milk consumed by the infant’s mother during pregnancy.
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