Half of 97 people sickened in the Wendy’s E. coli outbreak are 22 and younger and some have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) a form of kidney failure associated with E. coli infections. HUS most often affects young children. The people sickened in this outbreak range in age from 3 to 94, according to the latest update Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Of the 81 people for whom information was available, 43 were hospitalized, 10 of them with HUS. “Both of those numbers are concerning,” said E. coli Lawyer Eric Hageman, whose law firm, Pritzker Hageman, is representing multiple people sickened in this outbreak. The typical hospitalization rate for an E. coli outbreak is 30 percent, when this outbreak was announced on August 17, it was above 50 percent and it has stayed above 50 percent with each update, he said. That combined with an unusually high number of HUS cases shows that this E. coli O157:H7 outbreak strain is particularly virulent.
Most HUS cases are associated with Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). As the name implies, Shiga toxins are poisonous to humans and cause severe illness. E. coli O157:H7 is one of a handful of STEC and the strain most often associated with E. coli outbreaks.
HUS symptoms include pale skin, skin that bruises easily, extreme fatigue, decreased urination, bloody diarrhea, shortness of breath, and swelling of the legs and feet. These symptoms usually develop a week after initial E. coli symptoms, which include fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea that is sometimes bloody. HUS can be fatal, anyone with HUS symptoms should seek immediate emergency care. Over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications and antibiotics should not be given to patients with E. coli infections as they can increase the chance of developing HUS.
Eighty-one percent of the patients who were able to provide detailed food histories ate at Wendy’s in the week before they became ill. Most of these people said they ate sandwiches or burgers topped with romaine lettuce in the days before they developed symptoms of an E. coli infection.
Wendy’s told health officials that it has removed the romaine it uses for its sandwiches from the affected region. The company uses a different kind of romaine for its salads.
The outbreak includes illnesses in six states: Indiana (11), Kentucky (1), Michigan (58), New York (1), Ohio (24), and Pennsylvania (2).
Experienced E. coli Lawyers
Pritzker Hageman E. coli lawyers have represented clients in every major E. coli outbreak in the U.S. including this one. If you would like a free consultation with an experienced E. coli lawyer, please contact the Pritzker Hageman E. coli Legal Team. You can reach us by calling 1-888-377-8900, sending a text to 612-261-0856, or completing the form below. There is no obligation and you don’t pay us unless we win.