The United StatesS. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and state health officials are investigating potential
exposures to Brucella strain RB51 (RB51) in 19 states where people
drank raw milk.
The milk was from Miller’s Biodiversity Farm
in Quarryville, Pennsylvania.
One case of RB51
infection (brucellosis) has been confirmed in New York, and an unknown number
of people may have been exposed to RB51 from drinking the milk from this farm,
the Centre said.
“This type
of Brucella is resistant to first-line drugs and can be difficult to
diagnose because of limited testing options and the fact that early brucellosis
symptoms are similar to those of more common illnesses like flu,” the Centre
said.
The New York case is
the third known instance of an infection with RB51 associated with consuming
raw milk or raw milk products produced in the United States. The other two
human cases occurred in October, 2017, in New Jersey and in August, 2017, in Texas.
In addition to these
three confirmed cases, hundreds of others were potentially exposed to RB51
during these three incidents, the Centre said.
“RB51 is a live,
weakened strain used in a vaccine to protect cows against a more severe form
of Brucella infection that can cause abortions in cows and severe
illness in people.
“On rare occasions,
cows vaccinated with RB51 vaccine can shed the bacteria in their milk.
“ People who drink
raw milk from cows that are shedding RB51 can develop brucellosis,” said the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It's yet another reason to not drink raw milk.
