One person is sick with a Campylobacter infection after allegedly drinking raw whole milk from BAD FARMS in Kempton, Pennsylvania, according to news reports. That farm is located in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The milk has been recalled and removed from store shelves.
Tests taking during routine sampling indicated that the raw whole milk teated positive for Campylobacter bacteria. The milk was sold in plastic half gallons, gallons, and pints with a sell-by date of August 23, 2019. The milk was sold at Emmaus Farmer’s Market, Lehighton Farmers Market in Emmaus, Lehigh County, Trexlertown Farmers’ Market in Breinigsville, Lehigh County, and in BAD FARMS’ on-farm store and Wannamakers General Store, both in Kempton.
Anyone who drank this milk and has been sick should contact their doctor. The Pennsylvania Department of health has confirmed that one customer is sick, according to Morning Ag Clips.
Campylobacter is a bacteria that can be present in raw milk. It causes symptoms of stomach pain, cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, headache, muscle pain, and diarrhea that may be bloody. Symptoms usually start two to five days after exposure to the pathogen, but the incubation period may be as long as 10 days.
The complications of a campylobacter infection can be quite serious. People can suffer from arthritis, colitis, and meningitis after they are sickened with this pathogen. The most serious complication is called Guillain-Barré syndrome, which forces the body’s immune system to attack its own peripheral nervous system. Patients can suffer from paralysis and neurological dysfunction. Even if a person recovers from this syndrome, they can suffer from weakness.
If you purchased raw whole milk with that use-by date from BAD FARMS, do not drink it. Throw it away in a sealed container in a secure garbage can, or pour it down the sink, then sterilize the sink before you use it again.
