Trentino, child hospitalized for food-borne infection

A 9-year-old boy residing in Val di Fiemme, Trentino Alto Adige, Italy, has been diagnosed with a foodborne intestinal infection, the causative agent of which has been identified as an unpasteurized dairy product, specifically a cheese manufactured from raw milk and processed through natural means. The implicated batch of cheese is currently the subject of an epidemiological investigation, conducted by health authorities to identify the source of the infection. The investigation has thus far indicated a probable correlation between the consumption of the implicated cheese and the onset of the infection. The batch consumed by the child has been withdrawn from the market, and individuals who have recently purchased this type of cheese should refrain from offering it to children, pregnant women, and those with a depressed immune system. The Prevention Department of the Provincial Health Authority of Trento has elucidated that the raw milk employed in the production of these cheeses has not undergone the requisite heat treatments, such as boiling or pasteurization, that facilitate the control of any potentially pathogenic germs present in the milk post-milking and that may pose a risk to the health of vulnerable subjects or those with compromised immune systems.