Temazcal restaurant in Chickasha, OK has been linked to a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least six people, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma State Department of Health told Food Posioning Bulletin today. The six people with confirmed cases of infection from Salmonella Enteriditis became ill after eating at the restaurant in February.
Four of the case patients who range in age from 13 to 81 years old, are female and two are male. In addition to the six confirmed cases, there are also four to six suspected or probable cases. A food source has not been identified.
A faulty walk-in cooler was likely the source of the problem, the spokeswoman said. Temazcal closed for about a week while they worked to fix the problem.
The investigation into the outbreak is ongoing, but no new case are expected. Stool samples from the susspected cases are being cultured. Onset of illness for the most recent confirmed case was February 18.
Salmonella is a pathogen which, if ingested, can cause serious even life-threatening illness. Symptoms of a Salmonella infection, which include fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea which can sometimes be bloody, usually develop 12 to 72 hours after exposure and can last up to a week. For some people, dehydration from diarrhea can prompt hospitalization. And, if the infection moves from the digestive tract to the bloodstream, treatment with antibiotics is required to prevent fatality.
