Image by Wolfgang Eckert from Pixabay
Paradise Grove Dairy Campylobacter outbreak sickens 18 so far.
Idaho Public Health officials are currently investigating reports of Campylobacter infections in people reported to purchase and drink raw, unpasteurized milk from Paradise Grove Dairy.
The Idaho Division of Public Health is collaborating with state and local agencies – Eastern Idaho Public Health, Central District Health, and Idaho State Department of Agriculture. The investigation is ongoing.
Here is what we know about this Paradise Grove Dairy Campylobacter outbreak so far.
Idaho Department of Public Welfare issued a newsroom release on August 16, 2024 warning consumers of recent reports of confirmed Campylobacter illnesses.
Since July 24, 2024, there have been 18 people testing positive for campylobacteriosis – the bacterial infection associated with Campylobacter germs.
Of the 18 people with Campylobacter infections, all reported consuming raw milk in the weeks prior to becoming sick. Nearly all (17 people) indicated consuming raw milk specifically produced by Paradise Grove Dairy, located in Jefferson County.
Agencies are conducting interviews with those who have become sick and continue to investigate the outbreak.
Paradise Grove Dairy products are distributed to numerous stores across southern Idaho. Consumers are advised to not drink or use raw milk purchased from Paradise Grove Dairy between July 19, 2024 and August 2, 2024.
On August 2, 2024, Paradise Grove Dairy voluntarily ceased production to assess the situation. The facility used that time to inspect and repair equipment and has since increased the frequency of milk tested.
Production resumed on August 12, 2024.
The dairy also stressed to consumers that milk should be kept cold when transporting it home from the store.
Raw milk refers to milk that has not undergone a heat step to inactivate bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that might be lurking within.
Essentially, the milk goes straight from the cow and into some kind of container. No bacteria killing steps in between.
This means that the milk may contain harmful bacteria, such as the Campylobacter bacteria found in outbreak patients who consumed Paradise Grove raw milk.
Pasteurization is necessary to kill those harmful germs and prevent illness.
Pasteurization involves heating a product (in this case milk) to temperatures high enough and long enough to kill harmful germs.
There are a few proven variations of these methods sufficient to achieve the desired outcome.
Some methods involve heating the milk to a higher temperature for a shorter time. Other methods involve heating at a lower temperature for a longer time. The lower temp method is growing in popularity and aptly named “low temp pasteurization.
Prior to the 1920’s, milk was not routinely pasteurized. As a result, millions of people became sick and died of milk-related illness. Scarlet fever, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, and other diseases were commonly spread through raw milk consumption.
By the 1950’s pasteurization became more widespread. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “most public health professionals and health care providers consider pasteurization to be one of public health’s most effective food safety inventions ever.”
It is unclear the source of contamination responsible for the Paradise Grove Dairy Campylobacter outbreak with the available information. However, there are many ways that harmful germs can get into raw milk.
Campylobacter bacteria, like E. coli, and other bad bugs live in the digestive system of cattle. In most cases, the cows show no signs of illness, despite growth of the pathogen within their intestines.
Most of the time, the bacteria is spread through poop.
Even trace amounts of fecal matter, so small that you cannot even see it, can carry harmful bacteria in infectious numbers.
Common ways milk can become contaminated include:
And many more!
Campylobacter is a type of bacteria that can cause serious illness in humans. It doesn’t usually affect cows. They are usually asymptomatic.
According to the CDC, this harmful pathogen is responsible for around 1.5 million human illnesses in the United States each year!
Campylobacter causes typical intestinal illness symptoms.
Common symptoms include:
Most people begin to feel sick around two to five days after ingesting something contaminated with Campylobacter bacteria. Most of the time symptoms resolve within a week. However, some may experience additional complications.
Those with weakened immune systems, people receiving chemotherapy treatment, and those with a blood disorder are more likely to develop a life-threatening infection if the bacteria spread to the bloodstream.
Certain complications of Campylobacter infections can be long-term and even life-threatening. Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and Reactive Arthritis are three well-known complications.
Another potential complication of Campylobacter infection is irritable bowel syndrome. This is a condition often brought on by environmental triggers (such as a Campylobacter bacterial infection).
Inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract can often result in persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding/bloody stools, weight loss, and fatigue.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome impacts around 3,000 to 6,000 people in the United States each year. It is a type of complication causing an auto-immune-induced paralysis that attacks the nervous system.
This complication often starts as a weakness and tingling sensation in the arms and upper body. It can spread over the course of a few hours, days, or even weeks and worsen until muscles become paralyzed.
In most cases, those suffering from Guillain-Barré Syndrome recover within a few weeks. Others, unfortunately, may take years to recover or suffer permanent nerve damage.
Some people have even died of complications from Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
Campylobacter infections may also cause a joint condition complication known as reactive arthritis.
Reactive arthritis causes pain, inflammation, and swelling of the joints (ankles, knees, and feet). It can also affect the eyes and urethra.
In some cases, it may take a year or more for relapses of reactive arthritis symptoms to finally resolve.
If you or a loved one has been sick after consuming Paradise Grove Dairy raw milk and wish to make a legal claim for compensation, The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has a Raw Milk Campylobacter Lawyer that can help!
Call (833) 330-3663 or email today for your free, no obligation consultation. A compassionate member of our team will go over the details of your situation to help you decide if you have a legal case.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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