An outbreak of E.coli associated with raw milk produced by Organic Pastures Dairy has now sickened 10 people in California. Organic Pastures Dairy, which is based in Fresno County California, issued a recall for its raw milk back in January after internal testing revealed the presence of bacteria. Out of the 10 people sick in this outbreak, 6 have reported drinking Organic Pastures raw milk prior to their illness. Testing done by health officials revealed that all cases of illness had related strains of E. coli O157 bacteria.
Although the contaminated raw milk was recalled in January, new cases continue to occur. Health officials have warned consumers not to drink the contaminated milk and dispose of any found in households. if consumed, the raw milk has the potential to cause an E. coli infection. E coli infections generally take between 12 and 72 hours to produce symptoms. E. coli infections will have symptoms including bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and vomiting. An E. coli infection also has the potential to produce a side effect called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS damages red blood cells which in turn can damage the kidneys. This can lead to serious kidney damage or even kidney failure. If you are a loved one begins to show the symptoms of E. coli, poisoning contact a medical professional.
