Expert explains how products become contaminated with E. coli following McDonald’s outbreak

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW/Gray News) - The CDC reported on Wednesday that dozens of people got E. coli from a classic McDonald’s sandwich, the Quarter Pounder.

In response, McDonald’s took the sandwich off the menus in Kansas and nearly a dozen other states.

Infectious disease consultant Dr. Clifton Jones said the identified strain in the outbreak is E. coli O157, one that is normally associated with farm animals.

“It can contaminate beef products during the slaughter of the animal if there is contamination with the fecal stream,” he said. “It can affect the product in that setting. It can also affect areas where cattle are raised where runoff can contain water from the feed lots or pastures and it can contaminate the water from that organism. So, occasionally, an outbreak has been associated with vegetables.”

Initial findings from the USDA on the recent outbreak suggest a link to slivered onions that are served raw on the sandwiches.

Infectious disease consultant Jones said E. coli has a relatively high mortality rate and alarming symptoms when compared to other intestinal infections.

“Between a few days and 10 days but usually about three days, the abdominal discomfort or abdominal pain and diarrhea that is bloody after a day or two,” Jones said. “Symptoms last seven to 10 days somewhere in that range.”

Very young children and the elderly are most at risk for severe illness. If the symptoms last longer than a day or two, it’s best to stop by the doctor’s office.

“That’s not expected and evaluation is appropriate and that would include most likely tests for potential organisms there’s many other causes for diarrhea,” Jones said. “There’s some relatively rapid testing that could be performed that could identify not only the O157 toxin associated with E. coli but also other potential pathogens.”