State clamps down on raw milk operation after bacterial infections reported

MONTROSE — A Montrose dairy has effectively been ordered by the state health department to cease and desist distributing raw milk to its shareholders.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says raw milk traced to Kinikin Corner Dairy sickened at least eight people with campylobacter.

There have been 11 confirmed cases of the food-borne bacteria since March 30; the state health department says 10 of those sickened reported drinking raw milk and eight of these people reported getting the milk from Kinikin Dairy.

The dairy was issued a public health order late yesterday afternoon.

Campylobacter can be passed through cow feces and if contaminated fecal matter gets into water or milk, humans can be infected.

The infection's symptoms include diarrhea, sometimes bloody, fever, abdominal cramping, nausea and vomiting. It is only rarely fatal.

Campylobacter infections have to be reported by healthcare providers to the state, and when several cases were reported recently, the state knew almost immediately something was wrong.

"That number of campylobacter for the Western Slope in that timeframe is very unusual," Dr. Ken Gershman, chief of the communicable disease program at the health department said.

The state, Montrose County Health and Human Services, and the dairy's owners are meeting today to discuss requirements the dairy must meet before it can resume operations.