oli 0157:H7 in Western Michigan have been linked to consumption of raw milk products from an Ottawa County cow-share program.In March, a 31-year-old Muskegon County woman became ill after drinking raw milk, and, in April, a six-year-old child from Kent County became ill after possible consumption of the raw-milk product.
Due to the health risk of consuming raw milk, it is not legal to sell raw milk or raw milk products in the state of Michigan. Because of this, raw milk is obtained through herd-share programs where consumers purchase a share of a cow, and, as an owner of the cow, are provided raw milk from the farmer.
These herd-share dairy programs are not licensed or inspected by state or local agencies.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that unpasteurized milk is 150 times more likely to cause foodborne illness and results in 13 times more hospitalizations than illnesses involving pasteurized dairy products. Due to poorly developed immune systems, infants and children are at greater risk for becoming sick and are more likely to suffer from long-term damage from diseases linked to drinking raw milk.
Symptoms of E. coli illness include vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain along with fever, headache, and body ache.
