A 15-year-old high school freshman from Grand Junction, Colorado, was hospitalized with severe complications of food poisoning after consuming McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers multiple times in the weeks leading up to a deadly E. coli outbreak. The teenager, identified as Kamberlyn Bowler, had to be airlifted to a hospital near Denver where she underwent dialysis for 10 days in a desperate attempt to save her kidneys.
Kamberlyn is one of at least 75 individuals affected by the outbreak, with 22 people requiring hospitalization. The outbreak, tentatively linked to contaminated onions, has caused illness in 11 individuals in Mesa County, where Kamberlyn resides, resulting in one fatality. Federal health officials have indicated that slivered onions used in the burgers are a probable source of the outbreak.
The harrowing experience has left Kamberlyn’s mother, Brittany Randall, deeply concerned about her daughter's health and shaken by the realization that a seemingly harmless burger could have such devastating consequences. Randall expressed her distress, emphasizing the trust placed in food establishments to provide safe and healthy meals.
Medical experts have confirmed that Kamberlyn was infected with the E. coli O157:H7 bacteria responsible for the outbreak. This strain of bacteria produces a dangerous toxin that can lead to a severe kidney disease complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome. Dr. Myda Khalid, a kidney specialist, highlighted the critical nature of timely intervention in such cases, emphasizing the need for meticulous care during treatment.
Kamberlyn recounted consuming McDonald’s Quarter Pounders with cheese, extra pickles, and onions on three occasions between late September and early October. Shortly after, she began experiencing symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and excruciating stomach cramps, which left her bedridden and reliant on Popsicles for sustenance.
Despite initially attributing the symptoms to a stomach bug, Randall became alarmed when Kamberlyn reported alarming signs such as blood in her stool and urine, along with vomiting blood. Following a misdiagnosis at a local hospital, Kamberlyn was eventually diagnosed with acute kidney failure and transferred to Children’s Hospital Colorado for specialized care.
McDonald’s CEO issued an apology for the outbreak, acknowledging the gravity of the situation and expressing concern for the impacted customers. Randall, facing mounting medical expenses as a single mother, voiced uncertainty about her daughter's future health and the financial implications of ongoing treatment.
The incident underscores the importance of food safety measures and vigilance in preventing such outbreaks that can have severe consequences on individuals and families.
