A teenager was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with an E Coli infection after consuming her favourite meal at McDonald’s. Kamberlyn Bowler, 15, began experiencing fever and stomach pain, which her mother Brittany initially dismissed as flu symptoms.
The teen, who frequently enjoys a Quarter Pounder with cheese and extra pickles from the fast-food chain, started showing these symptoms following a recent visit to one of their outlets. Her condition quickly deteriorated, leading to vomiting and diarrhoea, prompting her mother to take her to the hospital.
Medical tests revealed that her kidneys had ceased functioning due to an E Coli infection, which had begun attacking her kidneys, impairing their ability to filter waste from her blood. Kamberlyn, from Grand Junction, Colorado, remains in hospital nearly three weeks later, having undergone several rounds of dialysis.
Her mother reports signs of recovery in her daughter’s kidneys, expressing hope that the next dialysis session will be her last. However, it is still uncertain when she will be discharged.
At least 75 individuals across 13 states have fallen ill after eating at McDonald’s and contracting E Coli. Of these, 22 have been hospitalised, one has died, and at least two have developed hemolytic–uremic syndrome disorder (HUS), the same condition affecting Kamberlyn, reports The Mirror.
The burger is the likely source of the E. coli, leading supplier Taylor Foods to recall them from sale.Following the scare last week, a fifth of McDonald’s outlets temporarily stopped selling the Quarter Pounder. The beloved burger has since returned to the menu after beef patties were cleared of contamination, but in 700 branches, they’re being served sans onions.
Amidst the ongoing probe, other US fast food behemoths such as Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut have ceased using onions, dubbing it a ‘proactive’ step. In her hospital bed interview with NBC News, Kamberlyn was seen fighting back tears, describing her ordeal as “not fun”.
Her mother shared the emotional turmoil, stating: “It’s definitely been a roller coaster from the time that we’ve gotten here until now. Every day has been new tests or new things that pop up, or it’s basically watching her body just not work… We’re not really sure what it’s going to look like for her moving forward.”
A McDonald’s representative expressed to Mail Online how reports like Kamberlyn’s are “devastating to us”, emphasizing that “We know that people and families have been significantly impacted, and the well-being of our customers is deeply important to us.”
