E. coli outbreak linked to restaurant

Public health officials in King County, Washington are investigating an outbreak of E. coli O157 associated with a Tokyo Stop Teriyaki restaurant.

So far, five patients have been identified. Four of them required hospitalization. They ate at the restaurant from November 24 to 26 and became ill from November 26 to December 1.

There is another patient whose illness is the same as the other patients, but he did not show up at Tokyo Teriyaki Station. Health officials say this could mean the restaurant and other places were serving contaminated food.

The county health department used DNA fingerprinting—whole genome sequencing—to determine that the sick people were infected with the same strain of E. coli.

Tokyo Stop Teriyaki Restaurant's current health rating is “needs improvement.”

The investigation is still ongoing and public health is asking for the public's help.

If you ate at Tokyo Stop Teriyaki in November or December and later developed symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea (including bloody diarrhea) or fever, please fill out this form: STEC questions about the outbreak. This can help the health department identify the potential source of STEC infections and prevent future outbreaks.

About E. coli infections
Anyone who has eaten anything at a Tokyo Stop Teriyaki restaurant and develops symptoms of an E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Diagnosing infections requires special tests that can mimic other diseases.

Symptoms of an E. coli infection vary from person to person, but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea that is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others may develop serious or life-threatening symptoms and complications.

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

Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injury or death. This condition can occur in people of any age, but it is most common in children under five years of age due to their immature immune systems, in older adults due to a deteriorating immune system, and in people with weakened immune systems such as cancer patients.

People experiencing symptoms of HUS should seek emergency medical help immediately. People with HUS are more likely to be hospitalized because the disease can cause other serious and permanent problems, such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurological problems.