Hartmann Dairy Farm Raw Milk E. coli Outbreak UPDATE
The E. coli outbreak associated with a Minnesota dairy farm has been further confirmed by microbiological testing, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced. Until now, the association between five E. coli illnesses throughout Minnesota and the Hartmann Dairy Farm in Gibbon, MN had been largely epidemiological. Health officials had been interviewing those sickened by the E. coli 0157:H7 bacterium and determined that one common link between the food poisoning victims was that they had all had milk or other dairy products from the Hartmann farm.
However, new findings announced show that microbiological testing as confirmed that the same strain of E. coli that sickened and hospitalized several Minnesotans is the same strain found in several animals at several sites on the Hartman farm. Lab tests have also shown that cheese samples from the farm contained yet another pathogenic (illness-causing) strain of Ecoli.
Minnesota Raw Milk E. coli Outbreak Information
So far the E. coli Hartmann Farm raw milk outbreak has sickened five Minnesotans, some of whom were hospitalized. One toddler’s E coli infection developed into a case of hemolytic uremic syndrome (also known as E. coli HUS). This is a serious condition that damages red blood cells and can lead to anemia, kidney failure, coma, other severe and long-lasting health problems, or even death. According to the MDH:
“In addition to the cases linked to the Hartmann farm, MDH is investigating several other illnesses with a connection to products from the farm. MDA has embargoed dairy products on the Hartmann farm, prohibiting movement or release of the products off the farm.”
Raw Milk Dangers and Regulation
The food safety lawyers at Pritzker Olsen currently represent a Pennsylvania man paralyzed by an illness from raw milk. Although the pathogen involved in that case was Campylobacter instead of E coli, the case still highlights the dangers consumers should consider when choosing to drink raw, unpasteurized milk. The state of Minnesota regulates the sale of such milk, precisely because it can be very easily contaminated. According to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, here are rules consumers should follow when purchasing or consuming raw milk:
- Consumers must go to the farm to buy the milk directly from the farmer.
- Consumers must bring their own container for the milk
- Read more at: http://www.mda.state.mn.us/en/food/safety/rawmilkinfo.aspx
Tags: E coli HUS, Raw Milk Outbreak
