An E. coli outbreak linked to raw milk has sickened at least two children in Michigan. The E. coli O157:H7 cases, which were reported in Oakland and Wayne counties, underscore the dangers of consuming unpasteurized dairy products, state health officials said. Laws governing the sale of raw milk vary from state to state. In Michigan, it is not legal to sell raw milk at the retail level, but it can by obtained through membership in a herd or cow share program, which are not inspected or regulated under Michigan dairy laws. “The public should be aware that raw milk and other unpasteurized dairy products have not been heat-treated and, therefore, pose a potentially serious risk to human health,” said Dr. Eden Wells, chief medical executive for Michigan Department of Health and Human … [Read more...]
Salmonella Sickens 14 at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit
At least 14 patients at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit were diagnosed with Salmonella infections last week. While hospital staff members try to find out how the outbreak occurred, seven people remain hospitalized. Hospitals officials said in a statement to local media that they did not believe the outbreak was caused by contaminated food. So how did they get a foodborne illness? Salmonellosis is considered a foodborne illness because Salmonella bacteria are transmitted via the fecal-oral route, meaning that fecal matter containing the bacteria is ingested. If the food itself was not contaminated that leaves four possibilities. One, a hospital employee who is a food handler showed up for work with a Salmonella infection, used the bathroom, did not wash hands properly and … [Read more...]
