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Human outbreak of Campylobacteriosis associated with consumption of raw un-pasteurized milk, U.S. October 2023

Promed, Food Safety News
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Public health officials in Salt Lake County are investigating an outbreak associated with raw, unpasteurized milk. The Salt Lake County Health Department has confirmed 14 people with infections from _Campylobacter_. All but 2 of the patients reported drinking raw milk before becoming sick, according to a notice from the department.

The department reported that the patients range from 2 to 73 years old. One of them was hospitalized. As of Wed 11 Oct [2023], the health department reported that the source of the raw milk had not been determined. The department is urging people only to drink milk that has been pasteurized.

The CDC, FDA, and most state and local health departments also recommend against consuming unpasteurized raw milk and its products. Raw dairy products can contain pathogens like _Listeria_, _E. coli, _Campylobacter_, _Salmonella_, and hepatitis A. Contaminated raw milk and products made from it do not look, smell, or taste bad, and there is no way for consumers to detect pathogens in it.
It is illegal for retailers in Utah to sell raw milk. Farms that sell raw milk directly to consumers must have special licenses. The county health department said in its outbreak announcement that there have been outbreaks of campylobacteriosis in Utah on average one or 2 times a year since 2009.