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Elliot Olsen is a nationally known foodborne illness lawyer who has regained millions for clients. If you or a family member were sickened in this Elko Salmonella outbreak after eating at the Grille at Gold Dust West, you might have cause to file a Salmonella lawsuit. Please call (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation.

At least 17 cases of Salmonella food poisoning have been reported in Elko, Nevada, and the Grille at Gold Dust West restaurant is the primary suspect, the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced.

“(DHHS) staff have been onsite at the facility since Monday, March 11,” public information officer Martha Framsted told the Elko Daily Free Press in an email. “The business has not been closed and is cooperating with the investigation.

“This is an ongoing investigation, and I will provide additional information as the investigation proceeds.”

Gold Dust West is a casino located at 1660 Mountain City Highway, about two miles from downtown Elko, which is 230 miles west of Salt Lake City on Interstate Highway 80.

Elko Salmonella outbreak linked to Grille at Gold Dust West Casino

The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services has linked an Elko Salmonella outbreak of at least 17 illnesses to the Grille at Gold Dust West Casino.

Elko Salmonella outbreak:
Eggs taken off menu

John East – chief operating officer for Jacob’s Entertainment, owner of the Gold Dust West – confirmed that the restaurant is working with DHHS officials to investigate the outbreak.

“We are cooperating with the health department to identify the possible products and causes,” East said. “The health department’s preliminary investigation did not yield any causes related to Gold Dust West (employees’) handling of food products.”

East also said the focus of the investigation is on the suppliers and purveyors of food products. “The health department asked us to remove eggs from the menu, and we have complied with that,” he said.

Elko Salmonella outbreak:
Salmonellosis symptoms

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 23,000 Americans – out of an average total of 1.2 million who contract salmonellosis, the disease caused by Salmonella – are hospitalized yearly because of Salmonella. The CDC also reports that as many as 450 victims die each year.

Salmonellosis symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal cramps, and they generally begin 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness can last as long as a week, and most people recover with treatment.

Diarrhea, however, can become so severe that dehydration occurs, and then hospitalization is required. In rare circumstances, Salmonella bacteria can enter the bloodstream and produce more severe illnesses, such as endocarditis and arthritis (see below).

Elko Salmonella outbreak:
About the bacteria

According to the Mayo Clinic, Salmonella bacteria can be found in many food sources: raw eggs, raw meat, undercooked or improperly stored poultry and seafood, fresh produce, even spices, nuts, and supplements.

“We should thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables to remove any contaminating microorganisms,” Sarah Fankhauser, an assistant professor of biology at Oxford College of Emory University in Georgia, told the LiveScience website for a 2018 article. “However, washing will never get rid of 100 percent of bacteria on a fruit or vegetable, and this is problematic if the fruit/vegetable has been contaminated by particularly dangerous bacteria, such as Salmonella.”

Elko Salmonella outbreak:
High-risk demographics

People at the greatest risk of developing salmonellosis include young children, senior citizens, and anyone with a suppressed immune system, predominately pregnant women. A pregnant woman who contracts Salmonella can suffer a miscarriage, go into premature labor, or experience a stillbirth.

In addition, anyone suffering from a disease of the intestinal tract, such as inflammatory bowel disease, is also more likely to become ill. And a healthy adult can become more susceptible to a Salmonella infection when they take an antacid, which lowers the stomach’s acidity, or an antibiotic, which reduces the number of Salmonella-killing bacteria in the intestines.

Elko Salmonella outbreak:
Multiple complications

When Salmonella bacteria enter the bloodstream, serious complications can occur, such as the following:

  • Endocarditis, which is an infection of the inner lining of the heart that usually involves its valves.
  • Meningitis, which is an inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.
  • Osteomyelitis, which is a bone inflammation that generally targets the legs, arms, and spine.
  • Reactive arthritis, or Reiter’s syndrome, which is a type of inflammatory arthritis that develops in response to a Salmonella infection elsewhere in the body.

Free consultation

Elliot Olsen has decades of experience representing people harmed by food poisoning. You can contact him for a free consultation by filling out the following form and submitting it: