n outbreak linked to hamburgers has prompted health authorities to issue alerts in several regions across the United States. So far, multiple cases of infection have been reported, raising concerns about food safety in one of the country's largest fast-food chains. Details of the E.
coli outbreak in McDonald's According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 49 cases of E. coli have been confirmed in 10 different states, including one person who died and 10 who were hospitalized. Infections linked to the outbreak were reported between September 27 and October 11 in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Colorado has seen the highest number of cases, totaling 26, followed by Nebraska with nine. According to the CDC, everyone interviewed regarding the outbreak reported dining at McDonald's prior to becoming ill, with many specifically mentioning that they had eaten Quarter Pounder hamburgers. What is E.
coli? E. coli is a gram-negative bacterium that was first identified in 1885 by German bacteriologist Theodor Escherich. There are hundreds of strains of this bacterium, most of which are beneficial and aid in digestion.
However, certain varieties are pathogenic and can lead to illness. The strain of bacteria involved in this outbreak, E. coli O157, is responsible for approximately 74,000 infections annually in the U.
S., resulting in over 2,000 hospitalizations and 61 deaths. These infections pose a p.