The Kane County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Public Health, along with other local health departments, continue to investigate an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium in northeast Illinois. Currently, 13 people have been confirmed as having the infection with the same PFGE, or genetic, code.

Of the 13, seven are from Kane County, four are from DuPage, one from Cook and one is from Minnesota. A potential common link is that nine of the 13 reported eating at the Portillo’s restaurant in St. Charles during the month of April. Nine are female and four are male, with their ages ranging from 17 to 64. Three of the patients were hospitalized, but all have since been released.

The restaurant firm is actively cooperating with the investigation, having cleaned and sanitized the building Monday night and discarded all food items, except for samples that were collected by Kane County Health Department staff to send to the IDPH lab for testing. The restaurant also is assuming the cost of testing the store’s employees. Results from those employee tests are expected early next week. None of the employees are allowed to return to work until they have had two tests showing they are not infected. Portillo’s has transferred employees from other locations and remains open.

Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment or ever visiting a doctor. The Health Department is recommending that anyone who ate at the St. Charles Portillo’s between April 15 and May 6 and had or currently has these symptoms to call the Kane County Health Department at (847) 608-2128 or visit their personal physician.