South Eastern Health Board warns of dangers of drinking unpasteurised milk

The South East Regional Zoonosis Committee has called on farm families to be aware of the risks posed by drinking unpasteurised milk.

The previously familiar disease risks, from unpasteurised milk, of Tuberculosis and Brucellosis are increasingly being joined and over shadowed by other risks such as Listeria, E Coli 0157, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Leptospirosis. The young and old and visitors to farms are especially vulnerable and may suffer long term or even fatal consequences from such diseases. 

Of five cases of people with E-Coli 0157 which the South Eastern Health Board has investigated in the past 6 months, two had been exposed to unpasteurised milk. While not proven to be the cause of the illness, the committee states that it is a worrying high percentage.

“This is especially so when put in the context of a recent survey (On Farm Study of Consumption of Unpasteurised Milk – Buckley, McRory & O’Mahony 1998) of farm families which showed that 84% used unpasteurised milk,” said Dr. Paddy Lanigan, Chairperson, South East Regional Zoonosis Committee.

“Farming families should be aware of the potential risks posed by drinking unpasteurised milk,” he added. “Cows can be contaminating milk before they show evidence of clinical disease.”

Dr. Lanigan added that serious consideration should be given to consuming only pasteurised milk in the family home: “It will be too late to start when serious health damage has been caused to a family member or a visitor,” he concluded.