A 15-year-old high school freshman in Colorado, Kamberlyn Bowler, is hospitalized with kidney failure, a rare and life-threatening complication of E. coli poisoning. She ate McDonald’s Quarter Pounders, which are linked to an outbreak of E. coli that has infected at least 75 people in 13 states. McDonald’s identified slivered onions served on Quarter Pounders as the likely source of contamination and has removed them from their menu.
Kamberlyn’s symptoms started with a fever and stomach pain and escalated to bloody diarrhea, leading to her diagnosis of E. coli-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). She has undergone dialysis and is facing uncertainty about the lasting damage to her kidneys. Her mother plans to sue McDonald’s along with other victims of the outbreak, as they try to navigate Kamberlyn’s recovery.
Doctors say HUS is a rare complication of E. coli infection that can lead to permanent renal failure, particularly in very young or very old patients. Despite being previously healthy and active, Kamberlyn now faces an uncertain recovery process. McDonald’s has expressed remorse for the impact on customers and vowed to make it right. An attorney representing Kamberlyn and other victims believes there will be additional cases beyond the known 75 infections and hopes that lawsuits can identify the source of the breakdown to prevent future outbreaks.
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