Oct. 23 -- Fast-food lovers beware: Five New Mexico residents are down with an E. coli infection health officials believe is linked to tainted ingredients in McDonald's Quarter Pounders.
All five of those stricken are Bernalillo County residents, and only one person was sick enough to be hospitalized, according to the New Mexico Department of Health. The fast-food giant announced Tuesday it was temporarily pulling the popular burgers off menus in all 12 states affected by the outbreak, which so far has led to one death.
Dr. Chad Smelser, New Mexico's deputy state epidemiologist, said it's likely more New Mexicans are dealing with the unpleasant symptoms at home; for most people, fallout from an E. coli infection clears up on its own within five to seven days.
"We suspect that there are likely other people infected," Smelser said.
An E. coli infection can lead to diarrhea, which is sometimes bloody, as well as nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and fever, the New Mexico Health Department said. Anyone experiencing severe symptoms, especially high fever, dehydration or blood in their urine or stool, should seek medical care, Smelser said.
Somewhere between 5% and 10% of people diagnosed with an E. coli infection can develop a serious complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome, a risk that goes up when people people take antidiarrheal drugs and possibly antibiotics, the Health Department said in a news release Wednesday. Smelser said that syndrome can lead to kidney failure or even death.
The outbreak has sickened at least 49 people in a dozen states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Denver Post reported Wednesday the person who died lived in western Colorado. Other states affected are Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and Oklahoma.
Health officials are not sure which ingredient in the Quarter Pounder might be tainted, but the CDC noted McDonald's has stopped using fresh slivered onions and quarter-pound beef patties in several states while an investigation is underway. While the mystery has yet to be fully solved, Smelser said state officials have no information to suggest the outbreak came from another source.
It's not clear at which restaurants the five New Mexicans ate before falling ill, but state and local officials said McDonald's locations around the state are pulling Quarter Pounders from their menus in an effort to prevent new cases.
Maia Rodriguez, a spokesperson for Albuquerque's Environmental Health Department, said in a text message Wednesday the agency is coordinating with other agencies and food industry partners to make sure everyone is on the same page.
New Mexico Environment Department spokesperson Drew Goretzka said his agency is contacting the 61 McDonald's locations with state permits, which include all sites that are not in Albuquerque or Bernalillo County, or on tribal land.
Medical professionals are being asked to report suspected cases to the Health Department's Epidemiology and Response Division at 833-796-8773. The reporting line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.