E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's burgers: How to recognize the symptoms

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a widespread E. coli outbreak has been linked to a McDonald's product.

A total of 49 people in 10 states have reported infections after eating the fast-food chain's Quarter Pounder hamburger, the agency said in a food safety alert released Tuesday.

Ten people were hospitalized and one death was reported.

A majority of the infections have been reported in Colorado and Nebraska.

According to the CDC, McDonald's is linked to the E. Coli outbreak

McDonald's is working with several health authorities – including the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) – to investigate which ingredient in Quarter Pounders is responsible for the disease, the CDC noted.

A widespread E. coli outbreak has been linked to a McDonald's product, according to the CDC. (iStock)

Meanwhile, restaurants in some states have stopped using quarter-pound beef patties and onion slices until the ingredient is identified.

What is E. coli?

E. coli — officially known as Escherichia coli — is a type of bacteria found in the environment, food and intestines of people and animals, according to the CDC.

Harry Kopolovich, MD, chairman of emergency medicine at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, noted that E. coli is a common bacteria.

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“E. Coli is a natural part of our collective gastrointestinal system,” he told Fox News Digital.

“Most strains are harmless and exist in our gut as part of the normal flora that supports good digestive health.”

In some states, restaurants have stopped using quarter-pound beef patties and onion slices until the ingredient has been identified. (iStock)

Certain subtypes of the strain, particularly 0157:H7, can cause severe illness and death in a subset of people, the doctor warned.

“Given that E. coli is so present in the environment, it can easily be transmitted from person to person through poor sanitation processes,” he added.

“Given that E. coli is so present in the environment, it can easily be transmitted from individual to individual through poor sanitation processes.”

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at the NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical staffer previously told Fox News Digital that E. coli is an intestinal bacteria that can multiply in cows and chickens used for meat production, “particularly if they are raised in squalor or close to each other.” .

Certain subtypes of E. coli can cause serious illness and death in a subset of people, doctors warn. (iStock)

“Because poultry and beef cows are often fed antibiotics to support their growth and ward off infections, this helps breed resistant strains that arise from overuse of antibiotics,” Siegel added.

The doctor said the outbreak was likely due to undercooking of the meat or spread from undercooked vegetables such as the onions on the burgers.

“Grocery retailers can also spread it,” Siegel added.

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The best way to avoid infection is to “take good, sensible precautions,” Kopolovich said.

This includes washing hands and thoroughly disinfecting food preparation surfaces, as well as cooking food to the correct temperature to prevent foodborne illness.

Symptoms and treatment

Symptoms of E. coli illness include, but are not limited to, severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), vomiting, Respiratory diseaseurinary tract infections, fever and pneumonia, according to the CDC.

Symptoms of E. coli illness include, but are not limited to, severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, respiratory illness, urinary tract infection, fever and pneumonia, according to the CDC. (iStock)

“Most often it causes cramps and diarrhea and even bloody stools, but you usually recover within a week,” Siegel said.

After exposure, the infection has a “resting or incubation period” of about three days, Kopolovich noted, but after consumption it can last up to 10 days.

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“Most people recover without treatment in about five to seven days,” he said.

Although rare, some people with E. coli can develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can lead to kidney failure or other life-threatening complications, according to the CDC.

The CDC recommends seeking medical attention if “diarrhea lasts longer than three days or if diarrhea is accompanied by a fever greater than 100°F (30°C), bloody diarrhea, or vomiting so severe that you cannot keep down fluids and excrete very little. “Urine.” (iStock)

“15 to 20% of children infected with STEC go on to develop a complication of HUS, characterized by a sudden drop in hemoglobin, platelet counts and acute kidney injury,” Kopolovich told Fox News Digital.

Symptoms of HUS include: extreme fatiguedecreased urination and loss of color on the face and lower eyelids.

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The CDC recommends seeking medical attention if “diarrhea lasts longer than three days or if diarrhea is accompanied by a fever greater than 100°F (30°C), bloody diarrhea, or vomiting so severe that you cannot keep down fluids and excrete very little. “Urine.”

According to Kopolovich, people should also see a doctor for abdominal pain that doesn't improve with Tylenol (acetaminophen).

To prevent E. coli, experts recommend hand-washing and thoroughly disinfecting food preparation surfaces and cooking foods to the appropriate temperature. (iStock)

Patients who are taking medications or have a pre-existing condition – such as an autoimmune disease, heart failure or kidney disease – may be at higher risk of serious complications, the doctor added.

“You can't really treat with antibiotics because when the bacteria die, more toxin is released,” Siegel said. “So you have to treat with supportive care and hydration.”

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Fox News Digital has reached out to McDonald's for comment.

Cesar Piña, chief supply chain officer at McDonald's North America, said in an internal statement that the company is taking “swift and decisive action” to combat the outbreak and reported that “the initial results of the investigation indicate that a Subset of illnesses may be related.” Onion slices used in Quarter Pounder purchased from a single supplier serving three distribution centers.”

Breck Dumas of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.