Another Salmonella outbreak at Jimmy John’s restaurants associated with raw sprouts has just been announced. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has posted information about this outbreak; they say that the CDC and FDA are investigating, along with state and local health departments, but there is no information about this outbreak on those other sites.
If you live in a state other than Illinois and you are part of this outbreak, please contact us to let us know. We will be following other government sites so when they post something about the outbreak we will let you know immediately.
Two cases of Salmonella Montevideo have been reported in Illinois. Those people got sick December 20 and December 26, 2017. Officials say that the most likely source of the infection is sprouts from “multiple Jimmy John’s locations.” We do not know how many other people are sick at this time, or where they live.
Attorney Fred Pritzker said, “The long term consequences of a Salmonella infection can be serious.” Contact him at 1-888-377-8900.
Attorney Fred Pritzker, who has represented many clients sickened after eating at Jimmy John’s restaurants, said, “If you are in a high risk group for food poisoning, please do not consume raw sprouts. This food has an inherent risk of carrying pathogenic bacteria.”
IDPH has requested that all Jimmy John’s facilities in Illinois remove sprouts from their menus until the investigation is over. Officials are also reminding restaurants that food handlers who are sick with diarrheal illnesses should not be allowed to work.
The symptoms of a Salmonella infection include headache, muscles aches, diarrhea that may be bloody, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and cramps, chills, fever, and dehydration. People usually get sick six to 72 hours after they eat food or drink a beverage contaminated with the pathogenic bacteria.
Most people get better on their own and do not visit a doctor, so Salmonella illness outbreaks are very underreported. If you ate at a Jimmy John’s restaurant, even if you didn’t order sprouts (because cross-contamination can occur) and have been experiencing these symptoms, see your doctor. Salmonellosis is a reportable condition, and your doctor will tell authorities about your illness. Details of your illness may help solve this outbreak.
This is not the first time Jimmy John’s has been the center of an outbreak. As of 2014, sprouts served on Jimmy John’s sandwiches were linked to five outbreaks in five years. In 2012, the chain said they were pulling sprouts from the menu, but then brought them back 6 months later.
In 2014, an E. coli O121 outbreak was linked to raw clover sprouts served at Jimmy John’s restaurants and elsewhere. In 2013, there was an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak at Jimmy John’s restaurants in Denver that sickened eight people. In 2011, an E. coli 026 outbreak linked to that restaurant’s sprouts sickened 29 people in 7 states. Also in 2011, a Salmonella Newport outbreak sickened six people who ate sprouts at Jimmy John’s restaurants in Washington and Oregon.
Sprouts are inherently risky because of the way they are grown. Some sprout seeds have bacteria encapsulated within the seed, so are impervious to antibacterial treatment. Sprouts are grown in a warm and moist environment, which is the perfect medium for bacterial growth.
It’s wise for most people to avoid raw sprouts for that reason. Even healthy people can contract this infection. And children, the elderly, pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems, and those with chronic illnesses such as diabetes should avoid raw sprouts because they are more susceptible to serious complications.
Pritzker Hageman law firm represents and helps people who have been sickened by contaminated food such as raw sprouts. We get answers, compensation for those who have been injured, and justice through our work. Our lawyers represent patients, their families, and families of children sickened with bacterial infections in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against restaurant chains, retailers, grocery stores, food processors, schools, and others. Last year, attorney Fred Pritzker and his team of experienced lawyers won $7.5 million for young client whose kidneys failed because of hemolytic uremic syndrome after an E. coli O157:H7 infection. Please note that class action lawsuits are usually not appropriate for outbreak victims because these types of cases are so unique.
