At least one person has died, and several others have fallen sick due to a severe E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said. The outbreak - which started late last month, has spread over at least ten states across the west, most of the 50 cases concentrated around Colorado and Nebraska, the health agency said.

More than ten people have been hospitalized - including a child suffering from hemolytic uremic syndrome - a condition that damages blood vessels in your kidneys caused by E. coli infection.

According to a preliminary investigation done by the CDC, all those affected carried the same strain of E. coli and reported eating at McDonald's before developing their symptoms, with most specifically recalling having had Quarter Pounders.

CDC says McDonald’s has pulled "ingredients for these burgers” and they won’t be available for purchase in some states. The agency said that McDonald’s is working with investigators to figure out which ingredient is making people fall ill. The company has stopped using “fresh slivered onions” and 1/4 lb beef patties in some states while the probe is ongoing. "Food safety is so important to me and everyone at McDonald's," said Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald's USA in a video message. "We've taken steps to proactively remove slivered onions, which are used in Quarter Pounders, in select states.

E. coli is a group of bacteria that causes infections in your gut, urinary tract, and other parts of your body. According to doctors, most of the time, it can live in your gut without hurting you. But some strains can make you sick.

The symptoms of E coli include:

• Diarrhoea – most often watery and sometimes bloody
• Stomach pains and cramps
• Loss of appetite
• Low fever

Most people recover without treatment within five to seven days. However, some people can develop severe kidney problems and require hospitalization.

Doctors say most diarrheagenic E. coli strains spread through fecal-oral transmission – when bacteria from poop that is too small to see make their way into your mouth and digestive tract. Specifically, you can get the infection from:

• Eating contaminated foods
• Drinking unpasteurized beverages
• Drinking contaminated water
• Touching poop or contaminated surfaces
• Not wiping properly after going to the bathroom

This burger outbreak is among a host of recent incidents involving infected food. Some 12m lbs of meat were recalled earlier this month for possible listeria contamination. Late this summer, dozens were sickened, and several died, from a listeria food poisoning outbreak tied to Boar's Head deli meats.

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