Originally published January 16 2006
Washington authorities trace E.coli outbreak to dairy farm
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Clark County health officials have determined that Dee Creek Farm is the source of a recent E.coli outbreak that sickened eight children, and authorities have since shut the dairy down and are planning an inspection of its operations.
An E. coli outbreak that has sickened at least eight children has been traced to unpasteurized milk from a dairy that had been ordered last summer to stop distributing the product, health authorities said Thursday.
People who drank unpasteurized, or raw, milk from the Dee Creek Farm were asked to contact their health department, whether they were sick or not.
The dairy was shut down, and authorities planned to inspect its milk and bottling operations.
Infection with the E. coli bacteria has been confirmed in eight children, ages 5 to 14.
Four of them were in serious condition at hospitals Thursday, Clark County health officials said.
Three unconfirmed cases have been reported in Oregon.
A call seeking comment from the farm or its owners, Anita and Michael Puckett, was not immediately returned Thursday.
Selling raw milk is illegal in many states, but Washington allows it if the seller obtains a license and the bottles have warning labels.
Dee Creek was told to stop distributing raw milk without a license in August, the state Agriculture Department said.
Department spokesman Michael W. Louisell said the Pucketts responded that they did not sell the milk but distributed it to people who owned shares in their animals.
The state said that such arrangements still require a license.
The popularity of raw milk has grown in some quarters amid concern over the use of hormones in livestock.
Raw milk advocates say pasteurization, which kills the bacteria, also reduces some of milk's nutritional qualities.
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