Minnesota health officials investigating salmonella cases linked to unpasteurized milk

Minnesota health officials are investigating a cluster of illnesses caused by salmonella, and believed to be linked to drinking unpasteurized milk.

The state Department of Health reported Friday that five cases have been found among children in the Twin Cities.

“The families of two children reported that they consumed unpasteurized milk. Information could not be obtained from the remaining families, but the bacteria from the cases were found to be identical through laboratory analysis. This indicates the infections came from the same source,” the health department reported in a news release.

The children, ages 3 months to 10 years, fell ill in late June and early July. One child was hospitalized, state health officials said.

The health department said it’s working to identify the exact source of the unpasteurized milk that may have caused the cluster of salmonella infections.

“Unpasteurized milk, also known as raw milk, is milk that has not been heated to a temperature high enough to kill harmful germs from fecal contamination sometimes found in the milk,” the health department reported.

Symptoms of illness from salmonella include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps, lasting four to seven days. They can develop from hours to several days after eating or drinking contaminated food, or touching infected animals.

The health department urged people with unpasteurized or raw milk to not drink it. It’s asking that anyone with information about gastrointestinal illnesses that developed shortly after consuming unpasteurized milk in late June or early July fill out an online survey.

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