Texas: Dallas County Salmonella Case Tied To Consumption Of Raw Milk

Press Release

Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services

4/20/11

Original article

Dallas County Health and Human Services recently investigated a reported infection of a rare

type of salmonella that was linked to three other cases reported to the Texas Department of

State Health Services.

A 56-year-old Dallas County resident was hospitalized after drinking unpasteurized milk and

has since recovered.

For medical confidentiality, DCHHS does not provide additional identifying information.

Since November, three other similar cases have been reported to the state and had also been

under investigation by DSHS.

All four cases have been linked to exposure to raw milk.

“Even though these products can be bought and sold in Texas, the public should avoid

consuming raw milk or raw milk products because of the risk for potentially deadly

bacterial infections,” said DCHHS Medical Director Dr. Steven Harris.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, consuming raw milk and

raw milk products, such as cheese, ice cream and yogurt, can pose severe health risks.

Disease-causing germs, such as the bacteria found in this case, can be found in raw milk.

Two other people who were exposed to raw milk were also hospitalized and have

recovered. Of the four reported cases, three have been linked to one dairy farm in Texas.

Raw milk sold at the farm tested positive for the same harmful bacteria found in these

cases.

The potential health threat raw milk poses makes pasteurization, the process that kills

harmful germs, necessary during the production of milk and milk products.

For more information regarding the health risks associated with consuming raw milk,

visit http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/rawmilk/raw-milk-index.html.