Can Raw Milk Make You Sick?

Raw milk is milk that hasn't been pasteurized to kill germs. To pasteurize milk, it is heated for a brief time to a temperature high enough to kill the bacteria that are harmful to humans. It is then cooled to about 45 degrees and stored in clean containers before it is transported or packaged for sale. ¹

The risks of consuming raw milk and its products are similar to eating raw or undercooked meat or eggs. There are bacteria in animal products that can cause serious illnesses when they are consumed by humans. ¹

Even when farms take extra precautions so that the milk isn't contaminated from human germs or debris (from clothing or hands making contact with the milk) or from cow germs or debris (from an infected udder or contact with cow feces, for example) there are still some bacteria that can cause illness in humans. ¹

I have a friend who drank raw milk for months before he finally got sick. It wasn't just a bad batch that made him sick though; he had a buildup of harmful bacteria in his intestines that finally accumulated to a level that made him very sick. He took months to recover from severe gastritis and its related symptoms. The farm he got the milk from was a small, well run farm, so it's unlikely that their sanitary conditions caused his illness; it is just the nature of the bacteria in raw milk.

Some of the bacteria in raw milk and products made from raw milk include: brucellosis, campylobacteriosis, listeriosis, salmonellosis, shigellosis, and E. coli.

Bruscellosis may cause the following symptoms and conditions: fever; sweats; headaches; back pains; physical weakness; severe infections of the central nervous systems or lining of the heart; and long-lasting or chronic recurrent fevers, joint pain, and fatigue.⁷

Campylobacteriosis may cause the following: Guillain-Barre Syndrome; diarrhea (possibly bloody); cramping; abdominal pain; fever; nausea; and vomiting.⁶

Listeriosis may cause: fever; muscle aches; diarrhea; nausea; headache; stiff neck; confusion; loss of balance; and convulsions. Pregnant women are at an increased risk for miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or infecting the infant.⁵

Salmonellosis can cause the following: diarrhea, fever, or abdominal cramps. These symptoms can become severe enough that hospitalization is required to rehydrate the body. ⁴

Shigellosis can cause: diarrhea (often bloody); fever; and stomach cramps. These may lead to hospitalization as well. In some cases there are no symptoms present, but the person infected can pass the bacteria on to other people. ³

E. coli can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (about 8% of infections), according to the CDC. HUS can cause kidney failure, which can lead to needing dialysis and transfusions. The CDC also reports the following complications from this form of E. Coli, "Some develop chronic kidney failure or neurologic impairment (e.g., seizures or stroke). Some have surgery to remove part of the bowel. Estimated 61 fatal cases annually; 3-5% with HUS die." ²

While some people may drink raw milk without apparent illness for a period of time, odds are that they will eventually come into contact with one of these bacteria and become ill. People who are at a higher risk of becoming ill due to raw milk include: people with weakened or compromised immune systems (those with HIV, AIDS, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.); the elderly, young children, and pregnant women. ²

Caution and awareness of the risks involved should be used if you intend to drink raw milk.

Sources:

¹ Raw (Unpasteurized) Milk, http://www.cdc.gov/Features/RawMilk/
²E. Coli, http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/enterohemorrhagic_ecoli/technical.html
³ Shigellosis, http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/shigellosis/
⁴ Salmonellosis, http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/salmonellosis/
⁵ Listeriosis, http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/listeriosis/
⁶ Campylobacter, http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/campylobacter/
⁷ Brucellosis, http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/brucellosis/