A newborn baby in New Mexico tragically died from a listeria infection, which health officials believe was likely linked to the child’s mother consuming raw milk during pregnancy. Following this incident, state officials have issued a warning urging people to avoid unpasteurized dairy products.
Interest in and sales of raw milk have been increasing in recent years, driven in part by social media and growing support from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement.
Due to privacy restrictions, state officials have provided few details about the newborn. While investigators could not determine the exact cause of death, they concluded that “the most likely source of infection was unpasteurized milk.” This conclusion was based on information gathered during the investigation, including the timing of the infection and reports that the mother consumed raw milk while pregnant.
Raw milk can harbor several disease-causing germs, including Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, or fatal infections in newborns—even when the mother experiences only mild illness.
Pasteurization is the process of heating milk to a high enough temperature to kill harmful germs. This process effectively prevents infections caused by Listeria, as well as other bacteria and viruses such as E. coli. These infections are especially dangerous for young children, people over the age of 65, and those with weakened immune systems.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for the content of this article.
https://ktar.com/national-news/a-newborns-death-likely-linked-to-the-mom-drinking-raw-milk-while-pregnant/5817383/
