E. coli outbreak at The Kebab Shop leaves nine sick, including six children

A suspected E. coli outbreak linked to The Kebab Shop in California has left nine people infected, including six children. Two of those children developed a severe kidney condition after eating contaminated beef kofta. Health officials are now investigating the source of the bacteria, which has been traced to a specific supplier. The outbreak came to light after a child ate grilled beef kofta at The Kebab Shop in Atwater Village on or around April 1. By April 6, the child was hospitalised with a serious E. coli infection. Testing later confirmed the presence of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening kidney complication.

The California Department of Public Health began investigating the suspected outbreak, covering cases between March 27 and April 30. As of May 19, nine residents had fallen ill, with six of them being children. Whole genome sequencing matched the child’s infection to the same *E. coli* strain found in beef kofta from The Kebab Shop. On May 24, the USDA confirmed that ground beef supplied by Olympia Food Industries Inc. was contaminated with *E. coli* O157:H7. The Kebab Shop has since stopped selling its grilled beef kofta and is working with health authorities. The child’s family has filed a lawsuit against both the restaurant and the beef supplier.

The outbreak has led to legal action and a pause in sales of the affected product. Health officials continue to monitor the situation as investigations into the contamination source remain ongoing. The USDA’s findings confirm the link between the supplier’s beef and the reported illnesses.