A LongHorn Steakhouse Shigella outbreak in Fairview Heights, Illinois has sickened 14 people, according to the St. Clair County Health Department. That restaurant is located at 6115 North Illinois Street in that city.
The patients live in “multiple jurisdictions.” Representatives from the restaurant have been cooperating with public health officials.
Some of the illnesses were caused by shigellosis, which is an infectious disease caused by the Shigella bacteria. The investigation is ongoing. As of October 2, 2024, there have been 14 Shigella reports with positive test results. Twelve of those people ate at the LongHorn Restaurant between September 21 and 22, 2024. Six of those patients have been hospitalized because they are so sick.
Food Safety Lawyer and Food Poisoning Bulletin Publisher Eric Hageman
Noted food safety attorney Eric Hageman, who has successfully represented clients who have been sickened by this pathogen, said, “No one should get sick just because they went out to eat. We hope that no more people will be sickened now that the health department has allegedly identified the source.”
Shigella bacteria cause almost half a million illnesses in the United States every year. The pathogen is transmitted person-to-person, and through contaminated food and drink. A person who is sick with the bacteria passes it in feces. This pathogen is highly contagious.
Symptoms of a Shigella infection usually start one to two days after infection. Patients suffer from fever, diarrhea that can sometimes be bloody, abdominal pain, vomiting and tenesmus, or the painful sensation of needing to pass stools even when bowels are empty.
People usually recover within a week, but it can take months for the bowels to return to normal for some people. Patients are usually hospitalized for dehydration and may need treatment for shock. Children are usually the most affected by this type of illness.
Complications of a Shigella infection can include reactive arthritis, which causes painful swelling of the joints and eye irritation. These symptoms can last for months or years. Other serious complications can include bloodstream infections, seizures, and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure.
If you ate at that restaurant and have been ill with those symptoms, see your doctor. You may be part of this LongHorn Steakhouse Shigella outbreak.
If you have been sickened with a food poisoning infection, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors.
