Which organism ranked third among the top three organisms causing raw milk outbreaks (2007-2012)?

• A. Campylobacter
• B. Salmonella
• C. Shiga toxin producing E. coli
• D. Listeria monocytogenes

Answer: (B)

In this time frame, the pattern of raw milk outbreaks shows that Campylobacter caused the most outbreaks, followed by Shiga toxin–producing E. coli, with Salmonella in third position. So Salmonella is the third most frequent organism linked to raw milk outbreaks from 2007–2012. This reflects how often each pathogen appeared in outbreak investigations during those years: Campylobacter and STEC were implicated more often than Salmonella in unpasteurized milk cases. Listeria monocytogenes, while serious when it occurs, did not rank in the top three during this period. Understanding these rankings helps emphasize the relative risks associated with raw milk and why pasteurization is crucial to prevent these illnesses.