What is known about the investigation into the McDonald’s E. coli outbreak?

() – An outbreak of E.coli related to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burgers has caused at least 49 illnesses in 10 states, including one death.

This is what we know.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a statement on Tuesday alert warning that dozens of people had reported eating the Quarter Pounder hamburger at McDonald’s before becoming ill.

No specific ingredient has been confirmed as the source of the outbreak, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) affirms that sliced ​​onions or beef patties in sandwiches are the likely source of contamination.

McDonald’s removed Quarter Pounders from the menu at about a fifth of its stores. The company has stopped using onions as well as quarter-pound beef burgers in several states: Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, as well as parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma, while the investigation continues, according to the CDC.

According to the agency, beef patties are only used for the Quarter Pounder, and sliced ​​onions are used primarily for the Quarter Pounder and not for other items. Chopped onions and other types of beef patties used at McDonald’s have not been implicated in this outbreak, the FDA said.

The Escherichia coli, either E.coli, It is a common bacteria, but certain types can make you sick. Infections can occur after someone eats the bacteria, often by consuming contaminated food or water. It can also spread from person to person through poor bathroom hygiene.

People with infections E.coli They may present symptoms such as severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Symptoms usually begin three or four days after ingesting the bacteria.

Although most people who become ill recover without treatment within a week, others may develop serious kidney problems and require hospitalization.

According to the CDC, the elderly, children under 5 years old, and people with a weakened immune system are most at risk of infection.

infections due to E.coli The new outbreak has caused at least 10 hospitalizations, according to the CDC, including that of a child who suffered hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication that can develop from an infection with the bacteria. An elderly person has died.

Most of the illnesses linked to the outbreak are in Colorado and Nebraska, according to the CDC, but the agency notes that the outbreak may go beyond those states. Illnesses have also been reported in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

The CDC recommends that people call their doctor if they have recently eaten a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burger and have severe symptoms of E.colisuch as fever above 38°C and diarrhea, particularly bloody diarrhea or diarrhea that has not improved within three days, vomiting that limits fluid intake, or signs of dehydration.

It can take weeks to determine whether an illness is part of an outbreak, but the CDC said the investigation into the McDonald’s outbreak is “rapidly evolving”.

The agency said the outbreak is expected to grow, with new cases reported “on a rolling basis” as scientists establish genetic links between the outbreak strain and the bacteria that is causing human infections.

The onset of illnesses associated with the outbreak was recorded between September 27 and October 11, according to CDC data. But the start date of the outbreak is also likely to change as cases come to light, according to an official with knowledge of the investigation.

Outbreaks of this type can also subside quickly after the contaminated food or ingredient is removed from the market. That requires extensive investigation to ensure that all potential distribution channels have been discovered and stopped.

The president of McDonald’s USA said it is safe to eat at McDonald’s and that the affected ingredients are likely outside the supply chain at the restaurants.

“We’re very confident that you can go to McDonald’s and enjoy our classics” without getting sick, McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger said on NBC’s “Today Show” on Wednesday.

Quarter Pounder burgers will be temporarily removed from the menu in some states while the company makes supply changes, according to the CDC.

Erlinger said he believes that “if there has been contaminated product within our supply chain, it is very likely that it has already eliminated itself through that supply chain,” but acknowledged that the number of reported illnesses may increase as the CDC investigates and tracks cases.

“Serving customers safely at each and every restaurant, each and every day, is our top priority,” McDonald’s said in a statement Tuesday.

A fact sheet The company highlights food safety protocols it says are in place, including daily temperature checks and hourly handwashing of employees. He also notes that the burgers are cooked to order at temperatures that exceed the FDA’s code of best practices.

The CDC data published this summer show that foodborne illnesses are on the rise in the United States. Some illnesses, such as E.coliare well above federal goals for reducing foodborne illnesses.

There were more than 5 E. coli illnesses per 100,000 people in the US in 2023, a 25% increase from five years earlier and about 40% above target rates.

The bacterium Campylobacter It is the most common pathogen causing foodborne illness, causing more than 19 illnesses per 100,000 people, a rate 22% higher than five years ago and double federal targets.

According to the CDC, infections caused by this bacteria usually occur from eating raw or undercooked poultry, and it can make people sick with diarrhea.

Salmonella infections have not increased in recent years, but the bacteria still causes about 14 illnesses per 100,000 people in the US in 2023.

Listeria caused about 0.3 illnesses per 100,000 people in the U.S. in 2023, according to CDC data, but it has caused some large and deadly outbreaks this year.

At the end of July, Boar’s Head withdrawn from the market more than 3.2 million kilos of ready-to-eat liver sausages and other deli meat products, amid reports of dozens of hospitalizations and at least 10 deaths, and the recall of almost 5.4 million kilos of meat and ready-to-eat poultry manufactured by BrucePac has affected schools, retailers and restaurants across the country.

– ‘s Nadia Kounang, Carma Hassan, Brenda Goodman and Meg Tirrell contributed to this report.