Raw milk sickens 11 people in Louisiana; health officials investigate

Eleven people in Louisiana have fallen ill after consuming raw milk, with two needing to be hospitalized, state officials said Tuesday.

The Louisiana Department of Health is investigating the string of people who have tested positive for bacterial infection associated with drinking unpasteurized milk since April 23. The milk came from three different raw milk operations in the state, which officials did not identify.

Two of the 11 who tested positive for campylobacteriosis and cryptosporidiosis, bacteria that can be found in raw milk, have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported so far. 

Milk is heated in a process called pasteurization to boil off harmful germs that cause symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, nausea and vomiting. It’s illegal to sell raw milk for human consumption in Louisiana, though a state law approved two years ago allows for the sale of raw milk for animals and pets to consume. 

Some people drink raw milk under the false assumption that heating the milk reduces its nutritional value or that raw milk has beneficial bacteria to support gut health. But the Louisiana Department of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control all warn that drinking raw milk isn’t safe.

Retail raw milk sales are legal in 16 states, while small scale or “farm-only” sales are allowed in 18 other states, according to the Campaign for Real Milk. 

The level of legality for raw milk varies in 13 other states. While some allow farmers to sell milk for another’s herd to consume, or for people’s pets, selling unpasteurized milk for human consumption is largely illegal.

Even when farmers use best practices to reduce the chance of contamination, milk that hasn’t been pasteurized still runs the risk of containing a host of bacteria and parasites including campylobacter, cryptosporidium, E. coli, listeria, brucella, and salmonella. 

In more severe cases of infection, germs can cause syndromes that lead to stroke, kidney failure and even death. People with compromised immune systems, young children, pregnant women and older adults are particularly at risk of developing severe illness after drinking raw milk. 

The Louisiana Department of Health’s investigation into the illnesses is ongoing, and officials said more cases might be identified.