Kane County Health Department Speaks On Recent E. Coli Outbreak

KANE COUNTY, IL — The Kane County Health Department is sharing information on a multi-state E. Coli O103 outbreak, including Illinois, reported by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), possibly linked to clover sprouts served at Jimmy John's restaurants in December 2019. According to the Kane County Health Department, IDPH has identified six cases that match the strain involved in the outbreak. IDPH and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are working to identify where the sprouts were distributed, according to a release from the Kane County Health Department.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently reporting fourteen cases from the five states, and the investigation is ongoing to determine whether contaminated sprouts were served at other restaurants or retailers.

More: Jimmy John's Warned By FDA Over E. Coli: Kane County Locations

Jimmy John's Franchise, LLC instructed stores to remove sprouts from their stores nationwide on February 22, the health department added.

A STEC (Shinga Toxin-producing E.Coli) infection can cause abdominal cramps and severe diarrhea, which can be bloody, according to health officials. In children and older adults, a STEC infection can lead to uremia, which is acute kidney failure, and hemolytic anemia, which is the destruction of red blood cells.

The average incubation period is one to 10 days, and symptoms can last about five to seven days, the health department said, adding that most people who have healthy immune systems will recover without treatment.

More information:

• IDPH Communicable Disease Control Section: 217-782-2016
  
• The CDC Outbreak Posting
• The Kane County Health Department's food safety information section