Seattle public health officials investigating illnesses among customers of restaurant

Public health officials in Washington state are investigation foodborne illnesses among patrons of Wonder Coffee and Sports Bar.

The investigation by Public Health – King County and Seattle has discovered two people who became infected with E. coli O121 after eating at the business. Both people ate food that could have made them sick, including raw or under cooked beef and other food that could have been contaminated by raw or undercooked beef.

“Even though we think this is the most likely source of how both people got sick, we do not know for certain. We are still investigating how the beef might have been contaminated with STEC (Shiga toxin-producing E. coli),” according to the health department.

The people became sick from July 12 to July 17. The public health investigators have not found any workers sick with symptoms from the same strain of STEC.

On July 25, Environmental Health investigators visited Wonder Coffee and Sports Bar. Investigators identified potential risk factors, including poor handwashing facilities, improperly cleaned food processing equipment, and improper separation of raw and ready-to-eat foods. 

Investigators provided education about preventing the spread of STEC  — including proper handwashing, preventing bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods, preventing cross contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat food during food preparation, and making sure restaurant staff know to stay home when feeling sick with symptoms related to STEC.

 When restaurant staff have STEC, they need further testing before going back to work to make sure they cannot give STEC to someone else. No sick restaurant staff were identified at the time of the restaurant inspections.

Environmental Health Investigators revisited the restaurant on July 29, to make sure that proper compliance with cleaning, disinfection, and correct handwashing practices are in place.

About E. coli infections

Anyone who has eaten at the restaurant and developed symptoms of E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are required to diagnose the infections, which can mimic other illnesses.

The symptoms of E. coli infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others can develop severe or life-threatening symptoms and complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

About 5 to 10 percent of those diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening kidney failure complication, known as a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased frequency of urination, small unexplained bruises or bleeding, and pallor. 

Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injuries or death. This condition can occur among people of any age but is most common in children younger than five years old because of their immature immune systems, older adults because of deteriorating immune systems, and people with compromised immune systems such as cancer patients. 

People who experience HUS symptoms should immediately seek emergency medical care. People with HUS will likely be hospitalized because the condition can cause other serious and ongoing problems such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurologic problems.

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