A McDonald’s sandwich has been making people sick in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
E. coli, a type of bacteria that can cause serious stomach problems, has been found in McDonald’s Quarter Pounder sandwiches, the CDC announced Tuesday.
So far, the CDC has recorded 49 cases across 10 states. Ten cases resulted in patients being admitted to hospital and one person has died.
Most of the cases were recorded in western and mid-west states, according to the CDC.
McDonald’s is working with investigators to determine which ingredients caused the outbreak, according to a statement from the CDC.
“McDonald’s has pulled ingredients for these burgers, and they won’t be available for sale in some states,” the CDC said.
“It is not yet known which specific food ingredient is contaminated,” the CDC added, adding that McDonald’s has already “stopped using fresh slivered onions and quarter-pound beef patties in several states”.
The CDC adds that the slivered onions are believed to be the likely source of contamination, and investigators with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are working to determine if the onions were sold to any other business.
No recalls have been issued yet by the CDC, or other health and food regulators.
The first case was recorded on 27 September, investigators say. Victims since then have ranged in age from 13 to 88.
Of the 10 people taken to hospital, one person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure.
Another person, who the CDC described as “an older adult in Colorado” died after eating at McDonald’s.
Cases have been reported in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
McDonald’s shares fell by about 9% on the New York Stock Exchange after the news broke on Tuesday.
The Chicago-based company has yet to comment on the news.
E. coli are a diverse group of bacteria that normally live in the intestines of humans and animals.
Although many are harmless, some produce toxins that can make you sick.
Symptoms include severe and sometimes bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever.
It usually takes a few days after being infected for symptoms to show.
This is not the first E. coli outbreak to affect McDonald’s in recent years.
In 2022, six children in Alabama were sickened with E. coli after eating chicken McNuggets.
Four children were admitted to hospital. Health inspectors later visited the affected restaurant and found several violations, including improper hand-washing and a lack of gloves.
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