At least 11 people in Idaho were sickened with Cryptosporidiosis in August 2014 after consuming unpasteurized goat’s milk, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-images-goat-milk-image24057054This is the first public announcement of outbreak. The outbreak first came to the attention of health authorities when two siblings, both younger than three years old, developed symptoms and tested positive for Cryptosporidium infection. Cryptosporidium is a microscopic parasite that can be found in food and water contaminated with feces. Health investigators in Idaho tested samples of the goat’s milk and discovered multiple instances of contamination, including from unopened containers directly from the dairy and an open container taken from the refrigerator of the household with the sickened children. After monitoring for additional illnesses, officials ultimately found 11 individuals sickened from five households where the raw goat’s milk had been consumed. Including the siblings, six people had directly consumed the goat’s milk and then developed symptoms, while another five people living in the households developed symptoms 3-8 days after the first household member. One patient was hospitalized. Patients ranged in age from 2 months to 76 years. Authorities released the hold on goat milk from the farm on Sept. 18, once it finally began testing negative for Cryptosporidium contamination. CDC considers Cryptosporidium very contagious and recommends a number of precautions — namely, diligent hand-washing — to avoid spreading the parasite. Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized to eliminate potentially harmful pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella and Cryptosporidium.