Two women are suing the popular fast food chain Wendy’s after being hospitalized for several weeks. In June 2006, dozens of people attending an education conference became ill after consuming tainted lettuce linked to Wendy’s. The lawsuits are seeking an unspecified amount of money.

E. coli is a bacteria found in the digestive system of humans and some animals. Some strains of the bacteria are linked to food poisoning and can be potentially fatal. E. coli is the leading cause of food poisoning in the United States, with about 70,000 people being infected every year.

In the past few years, a variety of food-borne illnesses have killed several people and infected many more. Researchers have said that infections from antibiotic resistant E. coli bacteria and similar pathogens are spreading into the greater population. Recently, MRSA–methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus–has become a worldwide problem. This is an antibiotic-resistant form of staph that has developed a resistance to even the most effective drug designed to combat it.

According to researchers, the negative effects of E. coli can remain for months and years after the original illness.