McDonalds has been facing national outrage due to the detection of E. Coli in its products. As this article was written, 90 people had been confirmed to be infected with the bacteria. Among the confirmed, 27 individuals have been hospitalized, while one older individual from Colorado has passed away. These numbers are expected to change periodically per the Centers for Disease and Prevention’s (CDC) food safety alert.
The CDC, in collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other public health officials, first notified the public of the outbreak on Oct. 22 through a food safety alert. When news first broke out, only 49 confirmed individuals from 10 states were infected. These states include:
- Colorado
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Missouri
- Michigan
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Mexico
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
However, according to their Oct. 25 update, the number of states rose to 13 after confirmed cases in Washington, Oregon and Utah. As of now, Colorado has the most reported cases, with 26 individuals infected. Behind Colorado is Montana with 13 cases, and Nebraska with 11. Washington State is among those with the least infected, having only one confirmed case.
Health officials have argued that while there is a set amount of those infected, the true number may be much higher, and the outbreak may not be limited to the confirmed states. Per the CDC report, new illnesses may not be reported immediately as it usually takes 3-4 weeks to discover if a sick person is part of the outbreak. Furthermore, many people usually recover from their illness without medical care, meaning they are not tested for E. Coli. This means while there are only a few confirmed states affected, the numbers could be much higher than what’s actually reported.
Outbreak Causes
So what caused the sudden outbreak? According to the CDC, the probable cause of the outbreak is likely contaminated slivered onions or beef patties, specifically ones served on quarter pounders. They’re certain of this after various epidemiologic, laboratory and traceback reports conducted by health officials led to the slivered onions and beef patties. Additionally, health officials interviewed those who were reportedly sick about the different foods they consumed prior to sickness. Of the 62 people interviewed, all confirmed that they dined at McDonalds (100%). 58 people remembered the specific meal they ordered at McDonalds. 48 of the 58 (83%) reported the meal they ordered contained slivered onions. On the other hand, 46 of the 58 (79%) described consuming beef patties from the quarter pounder. In total, three people revealed that the meal they ate contained fresh, slivered onions, but no beef patties from the quarter pounders. Lastly, one individual reported eating a quarter pounder meal without slivered onions. Additionally, several people disclosed that they ate at McDonalds in places outside of their home state, one of them being the infected individual from Washington State, who ate at a McDonalds in Colorado weeks before experiencing illness. In recent news from the CDC, they’ve confirmed that between the quarter pounder and slivered onions, it’s likely the latter that seems to be the main cause.
In response to recent events, McDonalds quickly removed their quarter pounders off the menu amid the ongoing investigations. But they’re expected to return within the next few days, according to a press release from the McDonald’s Corporation. They’ve confirmed that after conducting tests between the quarter pounder and slivered onions with the Colorado Department of Agriculture and other health officials, results for E. coli in the beef patties came back negative. Taylor Farms, the distributor of McDonald’s slivered onions, also recalled their onions last week. McDonalds has confirmed they suspended operations with Taylor Farms indefinitely last Friday. Other than Taylor Farms, an onion grower in Washington State may face investigation from government officials. Not much information is known about the unnamed onion grower, other than them being of high interest as a potential source of the outbreak.
As of now, investigations are still ongoing. However, the CDC and other public health officials made it clear that this outbreak is low risk. From the beginning until now, they’ve remained adamant that the outbreak shouldn’t be a major public concern. Chances of consuming contaminated onions are extremely low, according to the CDC.
What To Know About E. Coli
The current E. Coli variant being spread around produces Shiga-toxins, a poisonous substance that stops protein synthesis in cells, leading to apoptosis (cell death).
Most people infected with this variant experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. Symptoms generally appear 3 to 4 days after swallowing the bacteria. However, most recover without medical treatment in a week.
In severe cases, the bacteria can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening disease that damages the kidney and blood clotting system.
If you’ve recently eaten at a McDonalds and have since experienced severe E. Coli symptoms, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
