McDonald's Food Scare: What You Need to Know About the E. coli Outbreak

McDonald's is in the spotlight due to a food poisoning outbreak. The culprit? A strain of E. coli found in their Quarter Pounder burgers. This bacteria, called E. coli O157:H7, can cause serious illness, especially in young kids, older adults, and folks with weak immune systems. As of now, about 50 people have gotten sick, and sadly, one person has died. The ages of those affected range from 13 to 88. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes that raw slivered onions served on the burgers might be the source. E. coli can sneak into our bodies through contaminated food or contact with infected people or animals. The onions are raw, which means they haven't been cooked to kill the bacteria. Symptoms can hit fast, within a day or two of eating the contaminated food. Watch out for fever, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stools, and signs of dehydration like feeling dizzy or not peeing much. In severe cases, it can lead to kidney problems. Young children with E. coli poisoning need urgent medical care. This specific E. coli strain causes about 74, 000 infections in the US each year, leading to over 2, 000 hospital stays and around 61 deaths. Food poisoning is a big deal in the US, with at least 48 million people affected annually. E. coli is just one of many germs that can make us sick. Other common germs include norovirus, which causes millions of cases each year, and salmonella, which affects about 1. 3 million people. Listeria is less common but can be deadly.