Salmonella outbreak associated with IHOP in Bellevue

Highlights, updated April 17, 2024

Updated, April 17, 2024

• On March 18, 2024, Public Health learned of someone who became sick after eating at this IHOP in Bellevue on February 26, 2024. Laboratory testing confirmed that this person had the same strain of Salmonella as the other people who became sick in this outbreak. In response, we re-opened this outbreak investigation.
• On April 2, 2024, Public Health visited the restaurant to take environmental samples. This means we tested various surfaces looking for Salmonella. We sent the samples to the Washington State Public Health Lab for testing.
• On April 10, 2024, one of the environmental samples came back positive for Salmonella which also matched the outbreak strain. That same day, Public Health ordered IHOP to close and conduct a thorough cleaning and disinfection.
• On April 12, 2024, Public Health visited the restaurant to confirm the deep cleaning was done appropriately, and the facility opened the same day. This investigation is ongoing and we will provide further updates.

Summary

Public Health is investigating an outbreak of salmonellosis (caused by Salmonella bacteria) associated with IHOP in Bellevue. The people who became sick reported eating a wide variety of breakfast foods at IHOP.

Illnesses

Four people have reported becoming sick with salmonellosis after eating food from IHOP in Bellevue. They ranged in age from 17 to 70 years old. Everyone developed one or more symptoms consistent with salmonellosis, including nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, bloody stool, and fever. We did not identify any ill employees of the IHOP in Bellevue.

Public Health actions

Public Health conducted interviews with the people who became sick to identify potential common exposures and identified that they all became sick after eating at IHOP in Bellevue. No specific food was identified.

Environmental Health Investigators requested source information and food receipts from the restaurants on January 11, 2024. Investigators visited the restaurant on January 16, 2024. Investigators reviewed the restaurant’s food preparation processes and did not identify factors that may have contributed to the outbreak. The facility conducted a thorough deep cleaning and reinforced food safety training with staff.

Laboratory testing

All four cases had testing that identified Salmonella infections via culture. Further testing found all four people had the same strain of Salmonella based on genetic fingerprinting (whole genome sequencing or WGS) at the Washington State Public Health Laboratory.