Woman falls seriously-ill after eating LongHorn Steakhouse chicken and strawberry salad

A sickening bacteria has caused nearly 100 people to fall seriously-ill after they dined-out at a popular restaurant chain last month.

Sylvia Ledbetter said she 'just can't go back,' after her last experience at her then-favorite restaurant, LongHorn Steakhouse.

The O'Fallon, Illinois native's September experience has since dismantled her standing weekly plans at the Fairview Heights location as she and a friend would go three to four times a month.

On her last visit the 66-year-old ordered a strawberry lemonade, chicken strawberry salad and a potato soup before she became very unwell.

'My stomach pain was on a scale of maybe 9 or 9-and-a-half,' Ledbetter said, adding, her pain 'could've been a 10 on some days.'

Ledbetter recalled having painful cramping associated with diarrhea that sent her rushing to the emergency room after her symptoms persisted for nearly two weeks.

She initially expressed reluctance to see a doctor about her relentless pain but her incurable tiredness and incessant agony led her to seek help. 

Following the widespread outbreak more than 100 people have submitted lawsuits against the LongHorn location, attorney Jory Lange told FirstAlert4.  

The St. Clair County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Public Health continues to investigate a potential outbreak of Shigella - which they believe originated from the steakhouse. 

Shigellosis is an infectious disease caused by a group of bacteria called Shigella.

'Once shigella gets into a restaurant like this, it can spread very quickly,' Lange said, adding that he has already filed three lawsuits in St. Clair County.

To help in determining the root of the problem, a survey has been sent to several people who ate at the steakhouse between September 20 and October 2, asking them to answer questions regarding when they dined at the popular chain and what they ate. 

'We have talked to multiple people who have ate there,' Lange said. 'We are not seeing one specific food product. We’re seeing the whole menu.' 

Lange, a personal injury lawyer, added that Shigella bacteria could have came from an employee at the restaurant not properly washing their hands, including that fecal matter may have been on their hands, then spreading the germs. 

A Shigella infection causes fever and diarrhea, which may become bloody. 

The health department said 'symptoms occur one to two days after coming in contact with the bacteria' and 'symptoms typically last 5 to 7 days, but some people may experience symptoms anywhere from a few days to several weeks.'

People with fever, bloody or prolonged diarrhea, severe stomach cramping or dehydration are encouraged to seek medical attention.

Ledbetter said she got a prescription and is finally starting to feel better.  

The exact cause of the omnipresent illnesses remains unknown but health department investigators believe the outbreak could be linked to one specific contaminated ingredient.

The investigation is ongoing and the Fairview Heights location has been closed in relation to the outbreak.

Daily Mail has contacted LongHorn Steakhouse for comment.