However,
Disturbing contamination confirmed raw milk:
“It is a mode of transmission not observed so far in France. Consequently, ” said the National Health Safety Agency (ANSES) about the flambé of tick-based encephalitis cases since 2020. For example, And for good reason: this rare disease (35 cases per year usually), has experienced a real outbreak in recent years. Furthermore, It is caused by the TBE virus (for. Therefore, in English, tick-borne encephalitis), which belongs to the same family as the West Nile Virus or that of Dengue. Meanwhile, According to Public Santé France. Therefore, it is usually transmitted during tick stings, and rarely – so far – by the absorption of raw goat milk or sheep, after these animals were themselves stung.
But things have changed: “Since 2020. For example, cases related to the consumption of raw milk products […] have been reported, ”says ANSES, who specifies that it is disturbing contamination confirmed raw milk new in the country. In addition, The key. Nevertheless, a “geographical extension of the presence of the virus and an increase in the number of cases in Europe, all transmission paths combined”.
The health authorities alert: this disease can be serious. Furthermore, Among 71 serious cases studied between 2021. 2023, 94 % required hospitalization, and after -effects have persisted for 30 of them, including one of the four infected children.
In 2020. “Aboriginal” cases had occurred in departments already affected before: Haute-Savoie, Haut-Rhin, Bas-Rhin, Loire, Ain, Puy-de-Dôme, Isère and Savoie. So far, traces of tick stings had always been noted. But the Ain displays that year a record number of 43 cases, more than for the whole country in full year. Quickly. other departments spared before 2020 are affected, still in the east of France: Rhône, Ardèche, Cantal, Doubs, Vosges, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Marne, Moselle and Haute-Saône.
In the Rhône. a link had disturbing contamination confirmed raw milk been made quickly with a rare collective food toxi-infection, attributed to a fresh goat cheese made from the raw milk of a local herd. But above all. ANSES observes that, in the Ain too, the 43 sick people had consumed raw milk goat cheese from the same farm. They all displayed influenza symptoms or meningitis.
Disturbing contamination confirmed raw milk
Improve prevention. detection
In its report published on July 8, ANSES calls for increased collaboration between breeders and scientists, in order to improve detection and better prevent the risk of infection: “Many questions remain on the mechanisms of circulation and transmission of the virus”, explains Elsa Quillery, co-coordinator of the text. She adds that “research must be carried out on […] The strains circulating in France. the risk factors for transmission or the impact of milk components and milk processing processes on the persistence of infectious viruses in dairy products ”. The disturbing contamination confirmed raw milk virus is now present throughout French territory – with the exception of the Mediterranean.
What symptoms? What consequences?
TBE infection reaches the central nervous system (brain. spinal cord) in a significant proportion of cases, and 40 % of these may have neurological sequelae for several years. The infection is sometimes fatal (0.5 to 3 % of cases). The disease is compulsory.
The state of health of sick people can worsen very quickly after the infection. Headaches. fever and digestive disorders of the initial phase can indeed lead to large -scale neurological complications, such as losses of balance, muscle weaknesses or a state of confusion and drowsiness. “Among symptomatic people. 20 to 40 % have meningitis type neurological signs, which can cause long -term consequences and loss of autonomy,” said researcher Elsa Quillery.
Two vaccines exist to prevent infection. but currently the High Authority for Health (HAS) only recommends them disturbing contamination confirmed raw milk in the event of a trip to a country where the incidence is much higher.
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