According to the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, the E. coli outbreak investigation and health inspection showed that the kitchen workers may have contracted E. coli O26 in their living quarters.
E. coli O26
E. coli O26 is one of the six most common serogroups of E. coli bacteria reported to cause foodborne illness in the United States. It is a Shiga toxin-producing strain of E. coli, or STEC, and is often referred to as a "non-O157 STEC."
Symptoms of E. coli O26 infection include painful abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhea. In some cases, E. coli O26 infection can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can result in kidney failure.