The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has once again issued a warning regarding the consumption of raw milk. People in 19 states may have been exposed to potentially deadly bacteria linked to unpasteurized dairy products.
The CDC, in conjunction with state health officials, is investigating possible exposures to Brucella strain RB51. These potential cases of exposure have been connected to unpasteurized, or “raw” milk from Miller’s Biodiversity Farm in Quarryville, Pennsylvania.
There has been one confirmed case of brucellosis (RB51 infection) in the state of New York so far this year. However, officials do not yet know how many people could have been exposed to the bacteria.
In 2017, there were two other documented, confirmed cases of brucellosis that also involved raw milk. In those cases, the milk came from a farm in Texas and an online retailer.
There are several problems with this strain of bacteria. Not only can it be hard to diagnose infections (brucellosis), it’s also resistant to first-line antibiotics.
Early symptoms of brucellosis are often similar to those of the flu, which contributes to the difficulty in diagnosing it.
Additionally, while symptoms may manifest within a week’s time, that’s not always the case. Sometimes it can even take up for six months for symptoms to develop.
As mentioned, many of the symptoms of an infection mimic those of the flu, including fever, sweats, and fatigue. They may also include headaches, muscle and joint pain, and loss of appetite.
For women who are pregnant, an infection can also lead to a miscarriage.
When infected but not treated, serious complications can arise including heart problems, arthritis, and liver or spleen enlargement.
If you’ve consumed raw milk within the last six months, you should talk to your doctor about receiving preventative antibiotics. If you’ve consumed raw milk and had symptoms of brucellosis, it’s also important that you receive treatment.
Most milk we drink is pasteurized, which means it’s undergone a heat treatment to kill any disease-causing bacteria. However, raw milk does not undergo this process.
According to the CDC, “RB51 is a live, weakened strain used in a vaccine to protect cows against a more severe form of Brucella infection that can cause abortions in cows and severe illness in people.”
While it’s rare, some vaccinated cows can shed these bacteria in their milk. This means anyone that drinks milk from a cow that’s shedding RB51 can become infected.
Raw milk is sometimes touted as being healthier or more natural than pasteurized milk. However, there’s no real scientific evidence to back many of the claims. Not to mention, the risks seriously outweigh any potential rewards.
Brucella, by far, is not the only bacteria that can be found in untreated milk. Pasteurization also kills Listeria, Campylobacter, E. Coli, Salmonella and many others. It also wipes out organisms that are responsible for a slew of diseases like tuberculosis, typhoid fever, and diphtheria.
In short, there’s a very good reason the CDC is telling consumers to “look for the word ‘pasteurized’ on product labels.”
