A new report by California health officials reveals a raw milk-related outbreak that sickened over 160 people in the US between September 2023 and March 2024. The outbreak, caused by Salmonella contamination, was linked to a single dairy farm’s products, which were distributed in several states.
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) describes the outbreak as “one of the largest foodborne outbreaks linked to raw milk in recent US history.” Most cases occurred in California, with 67% of total cases affecting children under 18. Young children were disproportionately affected, with a median age of 7 years old.
The report warns that commercially distributed raw dairy products have the potential to cause large and widespread infectious disease outbreaks. Public health authorities should raise awareness about the risks associated with consuming raw milk products, especially for individuals at increased risk, such as children under 5 years old and pregnant people.
Raw milk can contain a range of disease-causing germs, including bird flu viruses, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Escherichia coli, Listeria, and Brucella. Children under 5 years old, pregnant people, and those with weakened immune systems face particularly high risks from consuming raw milk products.
The outbreak was investigated by state and federal officials, who confirmed that the cases were consistent with a continuous common source outbreak. However, the source of infection for four cases outside California is not entirely certain due to the complex nature of raw milk distribution laws in the US.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/health/viruses-infections-disease/new-report-details-one-of-the-biggest-raw-milk-related-outbreaks-in-recent-us-history