2024-02-15 07:00:00
An 18-month-old baby and a 7-year-old girl were hospitalized during the end-of-year holidays in the Lyon region. Common point ? They both ate raw milk morbier.
This Jura cheese was contaminated with the bacteria Escherichia coli, often known as E. coli. Whether it is Salmonella, enterohemorrhagic E. coli or Listeria monocytogenes, many pathogenic bacteria can be found in raw milk cheeses.
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Unlike pasteurized milk, raw milk cheeses are made with milk that has not undergone any heat treatment above 40°C. The final product is therefore particularly sensitive to contamination by certain undesirable bacteria. As the Ministry of Agriculture explains, udder infection or an incident during milking can lead to contamination of milk by pathogenic bacteria, naturally present in the digestive tract of ruminants.
Which cheeses are particularly affected?
The main sources of danger are soft cheeses with a bloomy rind (such as Camembert, Brie or Crottin) and uncooked pressed cheeses with short ripening (such as Morbier, Reblochon, Saint-Nectaire). Soft and washed-rind cheeses, such as Munster or Maroilles, also represent a danger. “For children, it is therefore better to favor pasteurized cheeses, cooked pressed cheeses, such as Emmental, Abondance and Comté, spreadable cheeses as well as cheeses sold specifically for children,” lists Dr. Brancato which reminds us that cheeses baked in a gratin are safe. This precaution is also necessary for pregnant women and immunocompromised people.
Concerning cold cuts, Dr Brancato recalls that only white ham can be eaten without risk, because it is cooked. “Be careful with minced meat, it must always be cooked thoroughly for children. » In the event of contamination, the child may show signs of acute gastroenteritis: vomiting, fever, diarrhea, as well as severe fatigue, paleness, reduced urine volume, etc. “Hemolytic syndrome can affect all children, even if they are completely healthy. It is advisable to consult a doctor if the general condition is worrying or if the situation worsens,” recommends the pediatrician. In some serious cases, the toxins reach the kidneys or the brain and a blood transfusion may be essential. In some patients, a kidney transplant is necessary. In France, there are around 160 severe enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli infections each year, underlines the Pasteur Institute.
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