The number of shigella cases linked to a single Subway restaurant in Lombard, Illinois now stand at 116. According to The Lombard Spectator, that number has been confirmed by the DuPage County Health Department. At least 13 of those sickened have been hospitalized. Shigella is a genus of bacteria that are a major cause of […]
The number of <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/shigella">shigella cases linked to a single Subway restaurant in Lombard, Illinois now stand at 116. According to The Lombard Spectator, that number has been confirmed by the DuPage County Health Department. At least 13 of those sickened have been hospitalized.
Shigella is a genus of bacteria that are a major cause of diarrhea worldwide. Shigella bacteria are transmitted by ingestion of contaminated food or water, or through person-to-person contact. In the body, Shigella bacteria can invade and destroy the cells lining the large intestine, causing mucosal ulceration and bloody diarrhea. Apart from diarrhea, symptoms of Shigella infection also include fever, abdominal cramps, and rectal pain. Most patients recover without complications within seven days.
Shigellosis can be treated with antibiotics, although, as with many other food borne illnesses, some strains have developed drug resistance. The Chicago Sun Times pointed out that the Shigella bacteria in this case appears to be Shigella sonnei, which can be lethal.
The DuPage County Health Department has not pinpointed the source of the shigella, and concedes that it may never be able to. The Subway restaurant at 1009 E. Roosevelt Road has been closed since March 4, according to The Lombard Spectator.
People who developed symptoms of shigella between Feb. 24 to March 1 after eating at the Lombard Subway restaurant are advised to contact their physicians and the DuPage County Health Department at (630) 682-7400.