---
title: "Portillo's Restaurant linked to E. coli outbreak, four customers sickened"
date: 2021-08-09T15:18:00-07:00
author: Julie Dueck
canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/portillos-restaurant-linked-to-e-coli-outbreak-four-customers-sickened"
section: Litigation Landing Pages
---
[Foodborne Illnesses](/foodborne-illnesses) / [E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli) /

# Portillo's Restaurant linked to E. coli outbreak, four customers sickened

 

 

 The Chicago Tribune reported today that the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is looking into whether a recent E. coli outbreak is linked to a Portillo’s restaurant located at 235 E. North Avenue in Glendale Heights, Illinois.

Four cases of a toxin producing bacteria and one case of a resultant blood syndrome stemmed from customers eating at the Portillo’s in Glendale Heights on July 16 and 17, IDPH wrote in a health alert.

The “possible issue” came from four customers during that time period, Portillo’s spokeswoman Sara Wirth wrote in a Saturday statement. She said the company reexamined its food safety protocols after learning of the outbreak.

“Across Portillo’s, we have extensive sanitary and food handling guidelines in place, including daily deep cleanings of all restaurants,” Wirth said. “Once notified, we moved quickly and began assisting with the investigation and revisiting our food safety best practices with our team members to mitigate potential future risk.”

The health department is urging doctors to consider an E. coli diagnosis in symptomatic patients who have recently eaten at the location.

With an average incubation period of one to 10 days, the condition can include cramps and diarrhea and, in children and older adults, kidney failure and red blood cell destruction, IDPH said.

**E. coli:** [Marler](http://www.marlerclark.com/) Clark, the E. coli lawyers, are the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of [E. coli](https://about-ecoli.com/) outbreaks and [hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)](http://www.about-hus.com/). The [E. coli attorneys of Marler Clark](http://www.marlerclark.com/practice_areas/view/e-coli-o157h7-outbreak-litigation) have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $800 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to flour, ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products. The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s. We have proudly represented such victims as [Brianne Kiner](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/jack-in-the-box-e-coli-outbreak-western-states), [Stephanie Smith](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/cargill-e-coli-outbreak-minnesota) and [Linda Rivera](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/multi-state-e-coli-o157h7-outbreak-linked-to-uncooked-nestle-toll-house-coo).

If you or a family member became ill with an E. coli infection or HUS after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation.

  

### E. coli outbreaks and recalls

August 23, 2023

###### [Listeria outbreak: Three die after drinking contaminated milkshakes](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/listeria-outbreak-three-die-after-drinking-contaminated-milkshakes) 

Three people have died, and three others are in hospital after drinking milkshakes contaminated with listeria bacteria in the US state of Washington, health officials …

 

July 12, 2023

###### [2011 Listeria outbreaks linked to cantaloupes: A history](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/2011-listeria-outbreak-linked-to-cantaloupes-a-history) 

A total of 148 persons infected with any of the five outbreak-associated strains of Listeria monocytogenes were reported to the CDC from 28 states. The …

 

May 20, 2023

###### [A quick look at the 2018 Hepatitis A outbreak](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/a-quick-look-at-the-2018-hepatitis-a-outbreak) 

Litigation proceeded in a Virginia state court against Tropical Smoothie and the strawberry supply chain. 134 people with Hepatitis A were reported from nine states …

 

 [1. View all
 ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/outbreaks) 

 

## All E. coli Resources

 

 [######  E. coli Food Poisoning 

 

 

 

 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-food-poisoning) [######  E. coli O157:H7 

 

 

 

 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-o157h7) [######  Non-O157 STEC 

 

 

 

 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/non-o157-stec) [######  Sources of E. coli 

 

 

 

 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/sources-of-e-coli) [######  Transmission of and Infection with E. coli 

 

 

 

 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/transmission-of-and-infection-with-e-coli) [######  Symptoms of E. coli infection 

 

 

 

 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/symptoms-of-e-coli-infection) [######  Complications of E. coli infection 

 

 

 

 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/complications-of-e-coli-infection) [######  Treatment for E. coli infection 

 

 

 

 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/treatment-for-e-coli-infection) [######  How is E. coli Infection Diagnosed? 

 

 

 

 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/how-is-e-coli-infection-diagnosed) [######  Preventing E. coli Infection 

 

 

 

 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/preventing-e-coli-infection) [######  E. coli Outbreaks 

 

 

 

 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-outbreaks) [######  Real Life Impacts of E. coli Infection and HUS 

 

 

 

 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/real-life-impacts-of-e-coli-infection-and-hus) [######  E. coli Recalls 

 

 

 

 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-recalls) [######  References 

 

 

 

 ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/references) 

### Other foodborne illnesses

 [E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli) [Salmonella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella) [Listeria](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria) [Hepatitis A](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hepatitis-a) [Reactive Arthritis](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/reactive-arthritis) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/guillain-barre-syndrome) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/irritable-bowel-syndrome) [Norovirus](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/norovirus) [Botulism](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/botulism) [Campylobacter](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter) [Shigella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/shigella) [Cyclospora](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome)
