Colorado Teen Hospitalized With E-coli After Eating McDonald’s Quarter Pounder As Outbreak Grows
An avid walker and skateboarder was left doubled over in pain and feeling like there were ‘knives in my stomach’ after eating a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder – as the CDC reveals the outbreak has increased.
Silas Mayes, 17, from Colorado, visited the fast food chain – one of his favorites – for lunch with his father in early October.
The burger looked and tasted normal, but three days later he woke up in the night with bloody diarrhea and cramps that were “the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced,” he told DailyMail.com.
Silas was rushed to the emergency room by his mother Lera Davidson, where doctors gave him pain medication and hydrating fluids.
He was discharged, but the next day he continued to get worse — he couldn’t keep food or water down — and was taken back to the hospital, where he was given fentanyl and medication to control his symptoms.
It comes as a further 15 people are reported to have fallen ill and five have been hospitalized during the McDonald’s E.coli outbreak.
In all, at least 90 people have fallen ill, officials say, while 27 people have been hospitalized and one person has died. At least two people are also suffering from kidney failure, including a 15-year-old girl and an 88-year-old woman.
Silas has now been discharged but was described by his mother as ‘very weak’ after losing 10 pounds and feeling constantly tired and fatigued.
Silas Mayes, 17, was an avid hiker and skateboarder (photo above at his graduation). But after eating a Quarter Pounder from McDonald’s, he was very weak and had difficulty getting back to the way he was
Silas went to McDonald’s for the Quarter Pounder with his father on October 7 while they were on a lunch break from their tiling work.
On October 10, he woke his mother holding his stomach and said the cramps suddenly came in waves.
She rushed him to hospital, where he was given pain medication, but his symptoms did not improve and they returned the next day for further treatment.
Speaking to DailyMail.com, Silas said: ‘It was actually the worst pain I’ve ever experienced, like knives in my stomach.
‘I had constant cramps every three minutes and it was just a very sharp pain, it was unbearable.
“I haven’t been able to take up my hobbies or anything anymore because I’ve been so sick.”
After he was discharged, Mrs Davidson said her son remained in bed at home for three days.
Describing his condition now – almost three weeks after he first developed symptoms – she said: ‘He’s still not great.
‘The main symptoms have disappeared, but the nausea and fatigue are still there. He is very weak.
Silas was described by his mother as still being “very weak” and having difficulty returning to everyday life
The Mayes family plans to file a lawsuit against McDonald’s in the coming days
‘He used to exercise eagerly, but now he has lost 10 pounds.
“Of course he’s tried to pick up his skateboard again and is trying to do tricks on it, but he’s just too weak to do them now.”
Researchers have suggested that the E.coli outbreak stems from the chopped yellow onions in the burgers that are the likely source of the E.coli, and the supplier – Taylor Foods – has recalled them.
The Quarter Pounder was also withdrawn from a fifth of McDonald’s restaurants during the outbreak last week, but has now returned – although it is served without onions in 700 locations.
Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut have also all stopped using onions as a ‘proactive’ measure during the outbreak.
She added: “I don’t trust McDonald’s. We won’t be grabbing a McDonald’s burger or burger anywhere again.
‘We won’t get there because I saw how sick my son was and still is. I don’t want anyone to get that sick. I now prepare all the food at home and just to be safe, I double and triple wash everything I touch.’
Silas is the latest patient to come forward to reveal his illness, after a 15-year-old girl, also in Colorado, and a 33-year-old mother in Nebraska, also described their illnesses.
At least 75 people have gotten sick after eating at McDonald’s in 13 states, the CDC says
Many patients fell ill between late September and early October, although experts say more cases may emerge
And a man in Colorado has filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s over the outbreak.
Dozens of victims are represented by national food poisoning lawyer Ron Simon, who told DailyMail.com he is now working with 36 victims of the outbreak – including two suffering from kidney complications.
A McDonald’s spokesperson did not return a request for comment from DailyMail.com.
But responding to a previous case, they said hearing the cases was “devastating.”
“We know that people and families have been significantly affected, and the well-being of our customers is of great importance to us.”
The Mayes family said they haven’t heard from McDonald’s since their son became ill.
They are now considering legal action against the fast food giant, which operates more than 14,300 restaurants nationwide.
After Silas tested positive for E.coli, the local health department reached out and conducted an investigation to determine how he became infected.
This led to his case being linked to the current outbreak at McDonald’s.
Silas is the second oldest of four children and lives at home with his family and five dogs. He also has a girlfriend, who he said was very supportive during the illness.