The E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to consumption of McDonald’ Quarter Pounder hamburgers has spread to three more states.
The CDC reports that 75 outbreak cases have now been confirmed in 13 states. A second patient has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Twenty-two people have been hospitalized.
The death toll remains at one resident of Colorado.
Cases have now been reported in Colorado (26), Iowa (1), Kansas (1), Michigan (2), Missouri (4), Montana (13), Nebraska (11), New Mexico (5), Oregon (1), Utah (5), Washington (1), Wisconsin (1), and Wyoming (4).
Victims range in age from 13 to 88 years old, with a median age of 29 years. Sixty percent of the victims are male.
Of the 42 people interviewed, all 42 (100%) reported eating at McDonald’s, and 39 people reported eating a beef hamburger. Of 36 people who remembered the specific beef hamburger they ate at McDonald’s, 31 (86%) reported eating a Quarter Pounder hamburger. Some people in this outbreak reported traveling to other states before their illness started. At least three people ate at McDonald’s during their travel.
The USDA-FSIS is investigating whether beef patties supplied to McDonalds may be behind the outbreak.
Concurrently, the FDA is investigating whether slivered onions supplied by Taylor Farms is the source of the outbreak.
Although the investigation is still in progress, Taylor Farms has recalled some onions supplied to McDonald’s and to additional food service customers.
McDonald’s stores in Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, and portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma have temporarily stopped using Quarter Pounder slivered onions and beef patties.
Important information from FDA for consumers and food service operators
- Consumers who have already eaten at McDonald’s and have symptoms of E. coli infection should contact their health care provider to report their symptoms and receive care immediately.
- McDonald’s stores in affected states have temporarily stopped using Quarter Pounder slivered onions and beef patties. Diced onions and other types of beef patties used at McDonald’s have not been implicated in this outbreak.
- Food service customers should not eat, sell, or serve Taylor Farms recalled yellow onions and should follow FDA’s safe handling and cleaning advice and use extra care in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with recalled product to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Customers should also ensure that they did not freeze recalled onions or foods containing recalled onions.
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