What’s Wrong With Kansas? Raw Milk Campylobacter Outbreak

According to a press release form the Kansas State Department of Agriculture, since 2007; there have been three outbreaks of disease associated with consumption of raw milk in Kansas.  In October 2007, 68 people became ill due to consuming cheese made from raw milk at a Kansas community celebration. Laboratory tests confirmed the cause of this outbreak to be campylobacteriosis (see, About Campylobacter) an intestinal bacterial infection.  In a separate outbreak in 2007, unpasteurized milk purchased from a single dairy was also implicated as the source of illness for 25 persons due to campylobacteriosis.  More recently, reported in January 2012, 18 people became ill in an outbreak of campylobacteriosis associated with consumption of raw milk from a dairy in south central Kansas.  Retail sales of raw milk are not allowed in Kansas; however, on farm sales are according to Real Raw Milk Facts.