A possible Swan Bros. raw milk Listeria outbreak has allegedly sickened 10 people in Missouri and Oklahoma, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed in the District Court of Rogers County in the state of Oklahoma on January 21, 2022. Swan Bros. recalled their raw milk products in July 2021 for possible Listeria monocytogenes after testing by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services revealed the presence of that pathogen in the milk on July 6, 2021. The dairy posted a notice on its Facebook page on July 6, 2021 about that recall.
The plaintiff, Roy Reese, bought two gallons of raw milk from the dairy in Oklahoma in June 2021 and brought them back to his home in Missouri. The plaintiff’s wife Waunita drank the raw milk and got sick later that month. She was taken to the emergency room on June 22, 2021, was diagnosed with a Listeria infection, was admitted to the hospital, and died on July 2, 2021.
The dairy’s pasteurized whole milk was recalled for Listeria on July 16, 2021. And two more recalls, also for Listeria monocytogenes contamination, were issued for their raw milk and raw cream on October 11, 2021 and November 11, 2021. All of these notices were posted on the Swan Bros. Dairy Facebook page.
Ten People May Be Sick
Count 12 of the lawsuit states, “Based upon information and belief, as many as ten other people who consumed Swan Bros milk in the same time period also became sick.” Food Poisoning Bulletin is contacting health departments to confirm this outbreak and that number.
It is illegal to sell raw milk in Oklahoma except through what is called “incidental sales,” meaning the product is sold directly to consumers on the farm. Swan Bros. Dairy sells pasteurized milk to many outlets in Oklahoma, including stores and restaurants.
Listeriosis Symptoms
Symptoms of listeriosis, the illness caused by this pathogen, can take up to 70 days to manifest because the incubation time period is so long. Symptoms usually include a high fever, stiff neck, severe headache, and muscle aches that are often preceded by nausea and diarrhea. The groups that usually suffer the most serious complications from this infection include the elderly, the very young, and anyone with a compromised immune system or chronic illness. Pregnant women are also quite vulnerable to this pathogen, as they can suffer miscarriage and stillbirth even though their own illness is quite mild.
If you drank Swan Bros. Dairy raw milk last year and have been ill with these symptoms, see your doctor. You may be part of this alleged Swan Bros. raw milk Listeria outbreak.
If you or a loved one have been sickened with a Listeria monocytogenes infection after drinking raw milk, please contact our experienced attorneys for help at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856.
