Raw milk consumption warnings issued after U.S. newborn dies of listeria

Consuming raw dairy products can expose people to a variety of illnesses including avian influenza, brucella, tuberculosis, Salmonella, and E. coli, among other pathogens.

Health officials in New Mexico are warning people not to consume raw dairy products after a newborn baby died from a listeria infection.

In a news release on Tuesday, the state’s health department said the most likely source of the infection was unpasteurized milk the infant’s mother drank during pregnancy.

Pasteurization is a process of briefly heating milk to a temperature high enough to kill germs. Consuming pasteurized milk is the safest way to enjoy its nutritional benefits, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says.

“While investigators cannot pinpoint the exact cause, the tragic death underscores the serious risks raw dairy poses to pregnant women, young children, elderly New Mexicans and anyone with a weakened immune system,” the department wrote.

Listeria can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, or fatal infection in newborns, even if the mother is not severely ill.

Consuming raw dairy products can also expose people to avian influenza, brucella, tuberculosis, Salmonella, and E. coli, among other pathogens.

Some of these diseases are particularly harmful to children under 5 and adults over 65, the health department said.

According to the CDC, listeria is the third-leading cause of death from foodborne illnesses in the U.S. About 1,250 people in the U.S. are infected with it each year, and about 172 people die from it annually.