Public health officials in Washington, Oregon, and Minnesota are investigating an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O26 (STEC O26) infections. CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are assisting with the investigation. As of November 9, 2015:
- 42 ill people have been reported from Washington (27) and Oregon (15).
- 14 people have been hospitalized in Washington (10) and Oregon (4).
- There have been no reports of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and no deaths.
Laboratory testing is ongoing to determine the DNA fingerprint of the STEC O26 bacteria making people sick. These DNA fingerprints are uploaded to the CDC PulseNet database as they become available.
- 23 isolates from ill people in Washington (16) and Oregon (7) have been uploaded. All 23 people were infected with STEC O26 that has the same DNA fingerprint. Laboratory testing is continuing.
- A search of the PulseNet database identified one person in Minnesota infected with STEC O26 that has the same DNA fingerprint. This ill person did not eat at a Chipotle Mexican Grill in the week before illness onset. Minnesota’s investigation is ongoing. The illness does not appear to be related to the outbreak in Washington and Oregon linked to Chipotle Mexican Grill locations in those states.
- Whole genome sequencing, an advanced laboratory technique, is being used to give investigators more information about the DNA fingerprint of the pathogen causing illnesses in Washington, Oregon, and Minnesota.
Washington and Oregon report that most of the ill people ate at several locations of Chipotle Mexican Grill in those states before getting sick.
- The investigation is ongoing to determine if the ill people ate a common meal item or ingredient that was served at the Chipotle Mexican Grill locations.
- Chipotle Mexican Grill voluntarily closed all of its restaurants in Washington and multiple locations in the Portland, Oregon area until more information is available.