Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Aug 19 (Reuters) – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it was investigating a four-state outbreak of E.coli bacteria from an unknown food source, with many of those affected saying they had sandwiches at Wendy’s Co ( WEN.O ) . Of the 37 sickened, 22 people were said to have eaten Wendy’s romaine sandwiches in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania in the week before they became ill, the agency said Friday. Investigators, however, have yet to confirm whether romaine lettuce is the cause and also whether the vegetable used in Wendy’s sandwiches was served or sold at other businesses. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register The burger chain said it was taking the precaution of removing sandwich lettuce from its restaurants in the area. Nearly 1,100 of the roughly 5,940 Wendy’s restaurants in the U.S. are located in the four states. The illness began between July 26 and August 8, and a total of 10 people were hospitalized, including three in Michigan with some type of kidney failure. The bacterium E.coli lives normally in the intestines of healthy people and animals. Although many strains are harmless, some species can cause severe abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. The CDC said the exact number of people affected is likely higher and the outbreak may not be limited to the four states. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam in Bangalore. Edited by: Arun Koyyur Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
