A severe E. coli outbreak in multiple states has been traced to Quarter Pounder hamburgers served by McDonald's.
At least 49 people across 10 states have fallen ill after eating the burgers, the CDC says. Most cases are in Colorado, where 27 cases have been reported, and Nebraska, where there have been nine cases. Cases have also appeared in Wyoming, Utah, Oregon, Montana, Kansas, Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri.
10 people have been hospitalized nationwide and one older person in Colorado has died. A child was also hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication from E. coli infection.
The first case was reported to the CDC on September 27. The last reported cases so far came on October 11 — but the CDC warns that there can be a lag of as much as three to four weeks when determining if reported cases are part of an outbreak.
The CDC reports every person who has been interviewed ate at McDonald's, and most specifically reported that they had recently eaten a Quarter Pounder.
The exact ingredient responsible for illness is not yet known. The CDC is focusing its investigation on the fresh onions and beef patties that are part of the sandwich.
McDonald's says it has removed the ingredients in question in the affected states while the investigation goes on, which may cause them to be unavailable for sale. Those states include Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming and parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
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In humans, E. coli can cause severe stomach cramps and bloody or watery diarrhea. Some people may also experience vomiting or a fever. Symptoms typically start three to four days after ingesting the bacteria and most people typically recover within five to seven days.
The CDC recommends you call your healthcare provider if you have recently eaten a McDonald's Quarter Pounder and are experiencing symptoms of E. coli infection.
