Login
The E. Coli Strain Linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders Is Common and Deadly
The strain of E. coli linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness in the U.S. On Oct. 22, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that an outbreak of the bacterial infection had sickened at least 75 people in 13 states. One person has died, 22 have been hospitalized, and two people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe complication that can cause permanent kidney failure or death.
While there are many types of harmless E. coli, there are six that can cause diarrhea, including O157:H7, which may have contaminated raw onions used on the burgers, according to federal health officials.
Escherichia coli is a type of bacteria that spreads in feces and can contaminate food, potentially causing serious infection. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) is the most common type in high-income countries, like the U.S. It’s the type of E. coli that has been implicated in the McDonald’s outbreak.
Although STEC infection most severely affects children younger than five years old and adults aged 65 and older, anyone can be infected. “This one is the dying kind,” said Prashant Singh, a food safety microbiologist at Florida State University, stressing the danger of this type of E. coli.
Bird Flu Cases Not Spreading Between Humans, Missouri Tests Show
Federal health officials announced Thursday that a Missouri resident infected with bird flu did not spread the virus to others, alleviating concerns about potential human-to-human transmission during the current nationwide outbreak affecting poultry and dairy farms.
The Missouri case had raised particular alarm because human-to-human transmission could have signaled the potential start of a new pandemic. The patient’s infection was especially worrying as they had no direct contact with infected animals, unlike previous cases involving farm workers.
H5N1, a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza, has been circulating in U.S. poultry since 2022. The virus has recently established itself in dairy cattle, which have become the primary source of human infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 31 cases nationwide, with more expected.
The outbreak continues to spread across multiple states. In California, where the virus has infected 137 dairy herds, health officials have confirmed 15 human cases.
Illnesses Linked to McDonald’s E. Coli Outbreak Rise to 75, CDC Says
At least 75 people have gotten sick after eating McDonald’s Quarter Pounders linked to a deadly E. coli strain, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Friday.
The 75 cases, up from 49 on Tuesday, have been reported in 13 states. Twenty-two people, up from 20, have been hospitalized. The CDC said Tuesday that one person had died and reported no new deaths Friday.
The increase in people getting sick, which consists of older cases, was expected, as it can take several weeks for investigators to link illnesses to a food poisoning outbreak. The most recent case was Oct. 10.
The people who’ve gotten sick have ranged in age from 13 to 88. Most are men. Two people, including a teenager, have been hospitalized with a severe kidney condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can lead to permanent kidney failure or even death, according to the CDC.
Do you have a news tip? We want to hear from you!
Legal Case Highlights Concern Factory Farms Get a Free Pass From EPA
When Nancy Utesch first moved to Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, a family in her community was poisoned after drinking water contaminated with E. coli, which has been tied to manure spread on nearby farms. The entire family went to the hospital, Utesch tells Sentient, and the eight-month old daughter spent time in intensive care.
“We were really stunned by the outpouring of support for the farmer and not the family,” she says. “Upon arriving here, we began to learn the inner workings of this very dysfunctional dynamic that [concentrated animal feeding operations] bring to a community, which really pits neighbors against neighbors.”
It was quite the first impression of her county, where she and her husband Lynn have now lived for the last 20 years. Utesch’s advocacy group, Kewaunee CARES, is one of 13 groups who sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over their lack of enforcement of CAFOs under the Clean Water Act. On Oct. 2 the court denied the petition in full.
Taco Kit Recalled Over Listeria Contamination Fears
A taco kit has been recalled over fears it may cause illness from bacterial contamination.
Following a recall initiated by Fresh Creative Foods, a division of Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc., Sprouts Farmers Market has recalled its Chicken Street Taco Meal Kit after it was found to contain traces of Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that can cause food poisoning.
Affected products bear the UPC code 205916813991 and best-by dates ranging between Sept. 2, and Nov. 7. Anyone who has purchased the product is urged not to consume it and to either throw it away or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also encourages consumers to take “extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.”
