The Salmonella outbreak that is associated with the Grille at Gold Dust West restaurant in Elko, Nevada is still under investigation. At least seventeen people are sick in that outbreak, according to news reports.
Now, eggs seem to be the focus of the investigation. Several news outlets state that the Nevada health department has asked the restaurant to remove eggs from its menu. The investigation of other menu items continues. Lab tests on the eggs and other foods are due next week.
Eggs have been the source of Salmonella outbreaks for years. Most recently, a 2018 Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak linked to recalled Gravel Ridge Farms shell eggs sickened 44 people in 11 states. Twelve people were hospitalized in that outbreak because they were so seriously ill. Another outbreak, this one linked to Rose Acre Farms shell eggs, sickened forty-five people in 10 states with Salmonella Braenderup infections.
One of the issues with eggs is that the chickens themselves may harbor Salmonella bacteria. And that bacteria can be in the hens’ ovaries, which means the pathogen is encapsulated in the egg before the shell forms. Studies have shown that both Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium can colonize the reproductive tract of hens. That means that unless the egg is cooked to well done, or 165°F, those eggs can make someone sick.
If you visited the Grille at Gold Dust West restaurant in Elko, Nevada and have been ill, please see your doctor. The symptoms of a Salmonella infection usually include fever, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that may be bloody. It’s important to remember that even if you fully recover from this infection, you may suffer long term complications such as endocarditis, high blood pressure, and reactive arthritis.
Pritzker Hageman, America’s food safety law firm, represents and helps people who have been sickened by contaminated food such as contaminated eggs. We get answers, compensation for those who have been injured, and justice through our work. Our lawyers represent families of children sickened with bacterial infections in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against retailers, grocery stores, food processors, restaurants, daycare centers, schools, and others. Attorney Fred Pritzker and his team recently won a $6.5 million verdict against Foster Farms, on behalf of a young client whose suffered brain damage and needed surgery after a Salmonella infection. Please note that class action lawsuits are usually not appropriate for outbreak victims because these types of cases are so unique.
