UPDATE: Food poisoning outbreak across Midwest linked to McDonald’s salads

An intestinal parasite, linked to McDonald’s salads, has caused a food poisoning outbreak across the Midwest. Symptoms of the parasite, called cyclospora, include vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps.

Presently, the Illinois Department of Public Health has been unable to identify the source of the parasite. To be cautious, McDonald’s has pulled salad from 3,000 locations, and possibly affected distribution centers.

Anyone who has consumed salad at a McDonald’s since May is advised to visit the doctor as soon as possible. Symptoms can take up to a week to appear, and may subside before reappearing. They can last for days or months.

Up to 90 people may have been affected by the parasite, though not all consumed salad. Since mid-May, 20 people have fallen ill in Illinois. An additional 15 people in Iowa became ill in late June, early July.

Did you get sick after eating at McDonald’s? If so, help is available to you. Contact the experienced food poisoning attorneys of Spiros Law, P.C. at (217) 443-4343 to schedule a free confidential consultation today and get the qualified legal representation you deserve.

Updated 7/30 –

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 123 more people have become ill with cyclospora infection after consuming McDonald’s salad. This brings the total number of infected to 286, with 11 of those people having visited the hospital. Authorities expect these numbers to continue to rise, because symptoms can take up to six weeks to appear.

Restaurants in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin have all been infected. In addition, people from Florida, Tennessee, Connecticut, Michigan, and Virginia have also been infected while traveling through the Midwest.

McDonald’s changed their salad distributor on July 20. However, officials have still not identified the cause of the outbreak, and are still in the process of tracing it through the supply chain. They are confident that it is not linked to the cyclospora outbreak in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan currently affected Del Monte vegetable trays.

For more information on this developing story, keep checking our blog or read more at CNN. Contact Spiros Law, P.C. at (217) 443-4343 if you have become sick after eating McDonald’s salad in the past few months.

Updated 8/3 –

After 109 additional cases of the cyclospora infection were reported Thursday, the total number of cases has grown to 395. This number is only expected to rise.

The FDA has been able to detect the presence of the parasite in an unused bag of Fresh Express salad mix that McDonald’s received, though it was past its expiration date at the time of testing. They are still in the process of tracing the source of the infected ingredients. Fresh Express has recalled the salad mix, which was also sold in grocery stores.

If you develop food poisoning or flu-like symptoms after consuming McDonald’s salad in any of the 15 affected states, seek medical attention and contact Spiros Law, P.C. for help. To read more, keep checking our blog or read more at CNN.