USA More cases of illness after eating McDonald's burgers

People in 14 US states have fallen ill after eating a McDonald's burger, with some showing severe symptoms.

The number of confirmed cases of E. coli infections in the USA linked to a certain McDonald's burger has risen to 104.

At least 34 of those affected required hospital treatment and four people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can lead to acute kidney failure and is potentially fatal.

This was announced yesterday by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The health authorities attribute the infections to the consumption of onions in the so-called Quarter Pounder. In this country, the burger goes by the name Hamburger Royal.

Suspected cause in onions

Between the end of September and October 21, people in 14 states fell ill with E. coli. One elderly person succumbed to the infection. According to the FDA, 99 percent of those surveyed stated that they had previously eaten at McDonald's. The FDA and other agencies are now investigating onion and environmental samples to identify the source of the outbreak.

The FDA suspects that chopped onions in the Quarter Pounder are the cause of the outbreak. As a result, the supplier Taylor Farms has removed onion products from its range.

McDonald's has temporarily removed the Quarter Pounder and sliced onions from its range and announced that it will no longer purchase onion products from Taylor Farms in future.

According to the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, certain strains of coli bacteria can cause serious illnesses such as kidney failure. According to the US health authority CDC, the typical symptoms of a severe infection include severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting.

dpa