DuPage County Health Department investigates cause of cluster of gastrointestinal illnesses in DuPage County

Thu March 4, 2010

News media calls to David Hass at (630) 682-7979, ext. 7374

DuPage County Health Department investigates cause of cluster of gastrointestinal illnesses in DuPage County

The DuPage County Health Department is investigating the cause of a cluster of gastrointestinal illnesses primarily among customers of a Subway restaurant located at 1009 E. Roosevelt Road in Lombard. Restaurant ownership and corporate representatives have been cooperating with health officials, and the Lombard restaurant has been closed pending further results of the investigation.

It has been determined that some of the illnesses were caused by shigellosis, an infectious disease caused by a group of bacteria called Shigella. The investigation is ongoing and the health department is working closely with the Illinois Department of Public Health toward control and prevention of disease transmission.

As of the afternoon of March 4, the health department has received multiple reports of illness possibly associated with food consumption from this Subway location. To date, eight cases of shigellosis have been laboratory confirmed. Four cases have been hospitalized, with at least one case discharged and recovering at home.

Most people who are infected with Shigella develop gastrointestinal illness, including diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and/or stomach cramps one to two days after being exposed to the bacterium. The diarrhea is often bloody. Shigellosis usually resolves in five to seven days. In some persons, especially young children and the elderly,
the diarrhea can be so severe the patient needs to be hospitalized. A severe infection with high fever also may be associated with seizures in children younger than two years of age. Some persons who are infected may have no symptoms at all, but may still pass the Shigella bacteria to others.

Persons who exhibit any of the symptoms of shigellosis are advised to contact their physician to arrange for appropriate testing and treatment, as indicated. Before using antidiarrheal agents such as loperamide (Imodium®) or diphenoxylate with atropine (Lomotil®), contact your physician, since antidiarrheal agents can prolong illness in persons with shigellosis, and should be avoided.

Disease transmission occurs when Shigella bacteria pass from one infected person to the next. Shigella infections also may be acquired from eating contaminated food. The bacteria are present in the diarrheal stools of infected persons while they are sick and for a few weeks afterwards. Most infections occur when the germ passes from the stool or soiled fingers of one person to the mouth of another person.

The spread of Shigella from an infected person to other persons can be stopped by careful hand washing with soap and water, particularly after using the restroom. Frequent, supervised hand washing of all children should be followed in homes with young children (including children in diapers). When possible, young children with a Shigella infection who are still in diapers should not be in contact with uninfected children. People who have shigellosis should not prepare food or beverages to be consumed by others until they have been shown to no longer be carrying the Shigella bacterium.

If you or a family member has eaten at the Subway restaurant located at 1009 E. Roosevelt Road in Lombard between Feb. 24 and March 1 and developed diarrheal illness within 12 hours to four days after eating, please consult with your physician and call and report the illness to the DuPage County Health Department at (630) 682-7400. More information on shigellosis is available at www.idph.state.il.us/public/hb/hbshigellosis.htm.

In the winter months, the DuPage County Health Department receives from zero to five reports each month of shigellosis in DuPage County. Every year, about 1,300 laboratory confirmed cases of shigellosis are reported in Illinois. Many mild cases are not diagnosed or reported so the number may be higher.