Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Campylobacter,Campylobacter Attorney,Campylobacter Lawyer,Our Blog,Outbreaks & Recalls on November 25, 2025
King County Public Health recently closed the investigation on a Campylobacter outbreak at Stripe’s Office. A likely source was discovered, however additional issues discovered at the workplace cafeteria during the Public Health inspection warranted multiple Public Health visits to resolve food safety issues at the facility.
The technology company’s facility has since corrected these issues and the outbreak investigation is now officially complete.
What exactly happened?
Here’s what we know about the Campylobacter Outbreak at Stripe’s Office cafeteria in Seattle.
As of October 2, 2025, five people became sick with the same symptoms. Diarrhea (some with blood), stomach pain, fever, and joint pain.
When clusters of illnesses happen, it prompts King County Public Health investigation.
According to reports, sick people indicated they began experiencing symptoms beginning between September 17 and September 18, 2025. As protocol dictates, these patients were tested for common foodborne illnesses. All five tested positive for Campylobacter infection.
During the course of patient interviews, Public Health also discovered another common factor.
They all ate at the Stripe’s office workplace cafeteria.
This cafeteria is not typically open to the public. It is intended for Stripe employee use.
Chicken liver pâté was a common food item sick patient consumed on the same day. So, according to King County Public Health, “based on our investigation, people may have become sick from eating chicken liver pâté on September 15, 2025.
On an initial visit to the Stripe’s office cafeteria that took place on October 15, 2025, Public Health spoke with the cafeteria manager. According to the report, it appears that the chicken liver pâté “may have been undercooked.”
This food, especially when undercooked, carries a risk of Campylobacter bacteria.
Public Health provided additional guidance to improve the cafeteria’s food safety, including:
According to Public Health, another site visit took place on October 27, 2025. While most of the problems had been fixed, there were still deviations from county safety protocols.
During a subsequent visit on November 10, 2025, all of the indicated food safety concerns had been addressed and the outbreak investigation was closed.
Campylobacter, pronounced KAM-PUH-LOW-BAK-TR, is a common cause of diarrheal and digestive illness.
Some of the more common ways of getting a Campylobacter infection include eating undercooked foods (poultry, seafood, meat, produce, etc.), consuming raw or lightly cooked food prepared with knives or on cutting boards used for raw poultry seafood or meat, and drinking untreated water.
Specialized laboratory tests are required to determine if you have a Campylobacter infection. If you begin experiencing symptoms, reach out to your health care provider or your local health department.
Common Campylobacter symptoms include:
People often begin to feel sick around two to five days after ingesting something contaminated with Campylobacter bacteria. Most of the time symptoms are resolved within a week. However, some may experience additional complications.
Those with weakened immune systems, people receiving chemotherapy treatment, and those with a blood disorder are more likely to develop a life-threatening infection if the bacteria spread to the bloodstream.
Campylobacter infections can get very bad. Certain complications of Campylobacter infections can be long-term and even life-threatening. Those involved in the Campylobacter outbreak at Stripe’s office workplace cafeteria were at risk for Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Reactive Arthritis are three well-known complications.
It is unclear if any outbreak patients required hospitalization or if they experienced any of these complications. But it doesn’t hurt to talk about these risks.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome impacts around 3,000 to 6,000 people in the United States each year. It is a type of complication causing an autoimmune-induced paralysis that attacks the nervous system.
This complication often starts as a weakness and tingling sensation in the arms and upper body. It can spread over the course of a few hours, days, or even weeks and worsen until muscles become paralyzed.
In most cases, those suffering from Guillain-Barré Syndrome recover within a few weeks. Others, unfortunately, may take years to recover or suffer permanent nerve damage.
Some people have even died of complications from Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
Another potential complication of Campylobacter infection is irritable bowel syndrome. This is a condition often brought on by environmental triggers (such as a Campylobacter bacterial infection).
Inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract can often result in persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding/bloody stools, weight loss, and fatigue.
Campylobacter infections may also cause a joint condition complication known as reactive arthritis.
Reactive arthritis causes pain, inflammation, and swelling of the joints (ankles, knees, and feet). It can also affect the eyes and urethra.
In some cases, it may take a year or more for relapses of reactive arthritis symptoms to finally resolve.
If you have been impacted by the Campylobacter outbreak at Stripe’s office workplace cafeteria, you might have questions.
Who is responsible for medical bills? What about missed work? What are your rights?
An experienced Campylobacter outbreak lawyer can help answer questions you may have. Even some that you may not have thought of. It is important to get advice right away, as some information is time sensitive.
If you have become seriously ill from Campylobacter in Linn County or the surrounding area, The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has a Campylobacter Outbreak Lawyer that can help!
Call (833) 330-3663 or email today for your free, no obligation consultation. A compassionate member of our team will go over the details of your situation to help you decide if you have a legal case.
Don’t wait! Call today!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)