Three Orange County children, all under the age of 5, were diagnosed with Campylobacter infections, according to a report in the Orange County Register. One of them was hospitalized. All tests on Claravale Farm raw milk were negative for Campylobacter, Food Poisoning Bulletin has been informed.
In April, the California Department of Food and Agriculture issued a recall of Claravale Farm raw milk products for possible Campylobacter contamination. The owners of the farm posted a notice on its website saying that between the recall and two lawsuits filed by former employees they were at risk of losing their business.
Campylobacter is bacteria that is transferred via the fecal-oral route, meaning those who develop Campylobacter infections have ingested microscopic amounts of animal feces. Pasteurization kills Campylobacter and other bacteria that cause disease but raw milk is commonly associated with Campylobacter infections.
Symptoms of campylobacteriosis include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. Most people with an infection recover on their own. However, for some people it can cause a serious, life-threatening infection. A small percentage of people may develop reactive arthritis which causes joint pain and swelling after infection. Or, they may develop Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a condition that causes weakness and paralysis which can occur several weeks after the initial illness.
