E. coli bacteria: why certain cheeses should not be given to children

At what age is it safe for a child to consume raw dairy products? Many parents must be asking themselves this question after an 18-month-old child and a 7-year-old girl were hospitalized in serious condition in the Lyon region. They ate Morbier, a raw milk cheese from the Jura contaminated with Escherichia coli bacteria, sometimes abbreviated to E. coli.

“We thought we had lost her,” Johan Buisson, little Eliza’s father, tells us, pointing out that her life prognosis had been uncertain for some time. Now the little girl is out of danger. “The brain is fine, but on the other hand, our baby’s kidney function has not recovered. To continue living, she requires daily dialysis and must follow a very strict diet,” he continues. How did something as simple as eating cheese cause two hospitalizations? Explanations.

What is raw milk cheese?

Raw milk, which is not pasteurized or heated, is natural milk because it comes from the udder of a cow (or goat). It is marketed without prior heat treatment and is therefore particularly susceptible to contamination by pathogenic bacteria.

Not all Escherichia coli bacteria are harmful; some of them are naturally present in the human intestine without causing harm. “Some very specific subtypes of E. coli are the ugly ducklings and can cause infections,” explains Dr. Paul Frappe, president of the College of General Medicine. The latter is usually not serious, but can sometimes develop into a serious syndrome in children.

Which cheeses are affected?

Cheeses made from raw milk include Reblochon, Roquefort, Salers, Brie, Picodon, Pelardon, some Camemberts, Morbier and Mont d’Or, the Ministry of Agriculture points out on its website. Therefore, it is better to give preference to boiled pressed cheeses (Emmental, Comte, Abondance, Beaufort, Gruyère, etc.), processed spreadable cheeses and cheeses made from pasteurized milk.

Infection with E. coli bacteria can also occur from eating raw meat or from touching animals carrying the bacteria in a contaminated environment.

What are the risks?

Although E. coli bacteria may have only minor effects on healthy adults, they can still cause serious problems in sensitive people. This can cause diarrhea, sometimes bloody, vomiting and fever. “Taking antibiotics, a classic reflex, can release toxins and make the disease worse, leading to kidney, digestive or vascular damage,” adds Dr. Paul Frappe.

In rare cases (about 5–8%), the bacteria cause severe kidney dysfunction, which in the most serious situations can lead to hospitalization or even death. In Eliza’s case, whose kidney function has not recovered, the little girl may require a kidney transplant.

Who is at risk?

Health authorities recommend not giving raw dairy cheese or raw milk to young children, especially children under 5 years of age. “In addition, the risk still exists, but it is decreasing, children over five years of age are still better protected,” the ministry clarifies.

“The disease may start in young children with fewer bacteria. This number increases as we approach adulthood,” explains Paul Frappe. The excess risk decreases with age until age 15, where studies show it returns to normal.

These recommendations also apply to pregnant women, as well as people who are immunocompromised, that is, already sick, very tired or even hospitalized.