From time to time I receive calls, usually from parents, who are looking for unpasteurized goat’s milk to give their children as a treatment for ulcers in the oral cavity, also called aphtha.
A short explanation in the following lines will explain why this is not recommended:
Goat’s milk may have a bacterium called Brucella. This bacterium causes a disease called Brucellosis, which is common in sheep, cattle, camels, dogs and pigs.
The disease is most common in sheep and goats of the Bedouin in the Negev and in the Arab sector in the region of Wadi Arah and the Galilee.
A major risk factor is uncontrolled growth of unsupervised and unimmunized shepherds, contact with them and the use of contaminated produce.
Another risk factor is contaminated dairy products of unsupervised domestic dairies in this sector, which don’t pasteurize the milk.
Brucellosis’ symptoms are fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, sweating, weakness, liver enlargement and more (I think that’s enough …)
When pasteurizing the milk this bacterium is destroyed.
Now, when you are aware of the danger, think about what is best for you – that your child will suffer aphtha’s aches or brucellosis …
May we all feel only good..
Hanan Hagaban.
