Food At Country Club Party Linked To Infected Stool, Parasites

SKOKIE, IL — More than 100 of the 950 attendees at a July 3 party at a Skokie country club became ill with apparent cases of cyclosporiasis, an infection caused by an intestinal parasite, according to village health officials. Skokie Health Department Director Catherine Counard said a survey has been sent out this week to people who attended the event at the Evanston Golf Club, 4401 Dempster St., in an effort to figure out what food may have caused the reported outbreak.

The club notified health officials about the outbreak, and the cyclospora parasite was confirmed as the cause Thursday morning, according to Counard.

As of Wednesday, the same parasite has been blamed for more than 200 illnesses across the state since mid-May, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The investigation into the multi-state outbreak indicated a link to salads produced for McDonald's, with about 40 percent of cases linked to the fast food giant. Cyclosporaiasis is caused by consuming food or water contaminated with infected stool. It is not contagious from human to human.

Symptoms, including frequent watery diarrhea, cramping and nausea, usually start to appear about a week after exposure to the parasite, according to health officials. Some people who are infected may not show symptoms, which can last more than a month if left untreated by antibiotics.

McDonald's said last week it was voluntarily halting sales of salads at 3,000 of its locations, including in Illinois "out of an abundance of caution." The company said it is cooperating with federal investigators.

At least one lawsuit has been filed against McDonald's over the outbreak. Attorneys from the Minneapolis-based Pritzker Hageman, P.A. filed suit in Cook County court Tuesday on behalf of a Carterville woman who allegedly became ill after eating a Southwest Chicken Salad from McDonald's. She reported "debilitating" stomach pain, headaches, nausea and diarrhea, but her doctors did not initially test for the "tropical parasite," according to the lawyers, who asserted the outbreak should have been prevented

Joe Turner, the general manager of the Skokie golf club declined to comment on the reported infections, according to the Skokie Review. He confirmed an investigation was underway and said the club was cooperating.

Counard said all attendees at the closed event have been notified and there is no risk to the general public. She said there have been two other cases in Skokie this year, one mentioned Burger King and the other had been on a cruise in Europe.

Anyone who attended the July 3 event should contact the Skokie Health Department and describe what they ate and whether they became ill. The department can be reached at 847-933-8252.

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