3rd man dies from tainted dairy products

January 8, 2008

By RODRIQUE NGOWI

Associated Press Writer

BOSTON (AP) -- A third man who consumed products from a central

Massachusetts dairy that were tainted with bacteria has died, the state

health department said Monday.

The 87-year-old man fell ill in November and died Thursday, said Donna

Rheaume, spokeswoman for the state department of public health.

The number of people sickened by listeria bacteria also rose to five

after health officials linked a 31-year-old woman's listeriosis,

diagnosed in September, to products from the diary.

The infection was detected while the woman was in the hospital to deliver

a baby, and " both mother and child are doing well, " Rheaume

said.

Health officials say the bacteria entered Whittier Farms' milk supply

after it was pasteurized. Two of those victims, a 78-year-old man and a

75-year-old man, died in June and October. Another elderly man and a

pregnant woman survived, although the woman miscarried.

The Shrewsbury dairy remains shuttered, and its owners are cooperating

with officials trying to determine the source of contamination, Rheaume

said. The farm delivered milk mostly to homes in the Worcester

area.

Managers of the family-owned dairy have said in a statement that they

were " extremely concerned about the situation and will be working to

obtain the results of the investigation. "

Listeriosis can kill babies and people with weakened immune systems and

cause miscarriages. Symptoms include fever, headache, stiffness, nausea,

abdominal pain and diarrhea.

be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our

Privacy Policy.

Don Neeper

Senior Software Engineer

SofTechnics, a METTLER TOLEDO Company

dneeper@...

don.neeper@...

Recommended Posts