What is E.coli? Symptoms explored as Wendy's pulls lettuce sandwiches in 4 states amid infection outbreak 

Wendy's is pulling back romaine lettuce from its sandwiches in light of an E.coli outbreak, reported by many customers who all fell ill after consuming the product. The decision will impact Wendy's restaurants in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Last week, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that more than 30 people were diagnosed with the infection, ten of whom had to be admitted to the hospital.

E.Coli is a common bacteria found in human and animal intestines. While it is usually harmless, certain strains can cause a range of illnesses. Symptoms identified by the CDC include diarrhea, dehydration and persistent fever.

The CDC is yet to determine if the infection was spread from the romaine lettuce in Wendy’s sandwiches and if the contamination has found its way to other businesses serving the leafy greens.

The multi-state outbreak has brought forth a string of lawsuits against the fast-food chain.

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Symptoms to watch out for if you have consumed the product from Wendy's

Food contamination is the most common cause of E.coli infections. Children, newborn babies, and people with compromised immune systems like cancer patients, diabetics, HIV patients, and pregnant women are at the highest risk of being infected by the bacteria.

When consumed, some dangerous strains of the bacteria can cause stomach pains, cramps, diarrhea (both watery and bloody), fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and low fever (< 101 °F/ 38.5 °C).

Symptoms of the disease can start showing up three to five days after consuming contaminated food.

While most people recover within a week without medication, one strain of the pathogen is known to cause kidney failure if not properly managed.

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More about the outbreak

The CDC stated that there was no evidence linking E.coli with romaine lettuce currently being sold in stores. They also clarified that the agency was not advising people to avoid Wendy's or any of its branches.

Representatives of Wendy's said that the franchise uses a different kind of lettuce in its salad, thus keeping it unaffected by the lettuce removal from sandwiches and burgers. It stated:

“While the CDC has not yet confirmed a specific food as the source of that outbreak, we are taking the precaution of discarding and replacing the sandwich lettuce at some (Wendy's) restaurants in that region. The lettuce that we use in our salads is different and is not affected by this action."

Most of the people affected by the outbreak are males around the age of 21. However, the range of patients spans across 6-year-olds to 91-year-olds. Three patients from Michigan developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome.

CDC officials expect the original number of infections to be more than 37. They said:

“The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses."

They explained that outbreaks spreading from food and water are hard to track. It can take up to three to four weeks to find out if a sick person is connected to an outbreak or group contamination.

People who have recently dined at Wendy's are advised to seek medical attention without delay.