The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services is warning consumers to not drink raw milk from a Fremont farm because of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
The department issued the warning March 14. According to the state’s health department consumers should avoid raw, unpasteurized milk from Brookdale Pines Farm with best by dates through March 22.
State testing showed one of the dairy’s cows was positive for the pathogen, which can cause serious illnesses and sometimes death.
Local, state and federal health professionals in general warn against the consumption of unpasteurized, raw milk — which is sometimes referred to as “fresh” milk — because of the danger of it being contaminated with harmful pathogens including E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria and hepatitis A.
About Listeria infections
Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has consumed any raw milk from Brookdale Pines Farm and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure.
Also, anyone who has consumed any of the farm’s raw milk should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop.
Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses.
Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth.
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