Reason #10. Rabies
Rabies is usually present in the saliva of an infected animal and is transmitted by a bite. But there is some question as to whether rabies might also be present in milk. In the 1990’s a total of 88 people in Massachusetts received rabies vaccine treatment after drinking raw milk from a cow that later was diagnosed with rabies.
Reason #9. Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. bovis
These bacteria can be transmitted in the milk of infected cattle and cause tuberculosis.
Reason #8. Mycobacterium paratuberculosis
This species causes Johne’s disease in cattle and is believed to trigger Crohn’s disease.
Reason #7. Chronic Diarrhea Syndrome (Brainerd's Disease)
It’s not always possible to figure out what causes a disease. In 1983-84, more than 120 people in Brainerd, Minnesota were afflicted with chronic diarrhea lasting at least one year for many of them. While the precise cause of the illness was never discovered, the cases were clearly linked to raw milk from a single dairy. Other outbreaks of this syndrome have been reported since the 1980s - always linked to drinking raw milk or untreated water. The cause is still a mystery.
Reason #6. Brucella abortus
This pathogen has been mostly, but not completely, eradicated from cattle in the U.S., Canada and many other developed countries, thanks in part to the development of a vaccine and to the culling of diseased cattle. Unfortunately, it remains a serious problem in many less-developed countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, including Mexico. Undulant fever, which is transmitted in the milk of infected cattle, is a long-term, chronic disease that is difficult to treat and is known to cause miscarriages. The bacteria are killed by pasteurization, but are very content to survive in cheeses made from unpasteurized milk.
Tomorrow, I'll cover Reasons #1-5.
Posts
