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SANTE FE, N.M. - The New Mexico Department of Health is urging residents to avoid raw dairy products after a newborn died from a Listeria infection.
What we know:
Officials say the death was likely linked to unpasteurized milk consumed during pregnancy.
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What we don't know:
Although investigators have not confirmed the exact source, the infant’s death highlights the serious health risks raw dairy products pose to pregnant women, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
What they're saying:
"Individuals who are pregnant should only consume pasteurized milk products to help prevent illnesses and deaths in newborns," Dr. Chad Smelser, deputy state epidemiologist for the New Mexican Department of Health, said in a news release.
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"New Mexico’s dairy producers work hard to provide safe, wholesome products and pasteurization is a vital part of that process," Jeff M. Witte, New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture, also said. "Consumers, particularly those at higher risk, are encouraged to choose pasteurized dairy products to reduce the risk of serious foodborne illness."
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What to know about listeria
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Listeriosis is an infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
Dig deeper:
Pasteurization briefly heats milk to a temperature that kills harmful germs.
Raw milk can carry a range of disease-causing bacteria, including Listeria, which can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, or deadly infections in newborns — even when the mother has only mild symptoms. Listeria can also enter the bloodstream of people with weakened immune systems, causing severe illness and, in some cases, death.
Drinking raw milk products may also expose consumers to other dangerous pathogens such as avian influenza, Brucella, tuberculosis, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, and E. coli, some of which pose heightened risks to children under 5 and adults over 65.
The Source: Information in this story was provided by the New Mexico Department of Health and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, including statements from Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Chad Smelser and Agriculture Secretary Jeff M. Witte. This story was reported from Los Angeles.