Shigellosis outbreak associated with Bamboo Sushi in Seattle

Highlights, updated November 13, 2023

Summary

Public Health investigated an outbreak of shigellosis associated with Bamboo Sushi in Seattle. Symptoms reported include diarrhea, bloody stools, cramps, body aches, nausea, fever, chills, and vomiting. We did not identify how Shigella was spread within the restaurant.

Illnesses

Five people reported becoming ill after eating food from Bamboo Sushi in Seattle. Four people ate at the restaurant on October 15, 2023, and started having symptoms October 16–19, 2023. One employee who also ate there became ill around the same time as the other cases. It is likely the employee was exposed to Shigella at the restaurant and is not the source of the outbreak.

Public Health actions

Environmental Health Investigators visited the restaurant on October 27, 2023. They observed improper storage of wiping cloths and an improperly stocked handwashing facility. The restaurant completed a thorough cleaning and disinfection.

Investigators provided education about preventing the spread of gastrointestinal illness — including proper handwashing and preventing bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods. Investigators also reviewed with restaurant management the requirement that people with a gastrointestinal illness who work in food handling should not work while ill, and those with diagnosed Shigella infections who work in food handling must be cleared by Public Health before returning to work to make sure they are no longer contagious. Public Health confirmed the one ill food worker was no longer contagious before returning to work.

Laboratory testing

Three of the five people who became ill tested positive for Shigella. Symptoms among those who did not get tested were suggestive of a Shigella infection.