title: Sharing milk but not messages: campylobacteriosis associated with consumption of raw milk from a cow-share program in Alaska, 2011.
abstract: Alaska public and environmental health authorities investigated a cluster of campylobacteriosis cases among people who had consumed raw, unpasteurized milk obtained from a cow-share program in Alaska. Although raw milk is not permitted by law to be offered commercially, consumers can enter into cow-share agreements whereby they contribute funds for the upkeep of cows and in turn receive a share of the milk for their personal use. Laboratory testing of stool specimens collected from ill persons and from cows on the farm revealed an indistinguishable strain of Campylobacter. In this outbreak, numerous confirmed and suspected cases were not among cow shareholders; therefore, these individuals had not been advised of the potential health hazards associated with consumption of raw milk nor were they informed of the outbreak developments.
authors: Section of Epidemiology, Alaska Division of Public Health, 3601 C Street, Suite 540, Anchorage, Alaska 99503, USA. louisa.castrodale@alaska.gov
authors: L J
authors: LJ
authors: Castrodale
authors: R F
authors: RF
authors: Gerlach
authors: C M
authors: CM
authors: Xavier
authors: B J
authors: BJ
authors: Smith
authors: M P
authors: MP
authors: Cooper
authors: J B
authors: JB
authors: McLaughlin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000413:Alaska / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002417:Cattle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000458:organization & administration; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult