First, this foodborne bacteria is not an isolated phenomenon. Children and adults are getting sick from eating fast food hamburgers, some have contracted the illness from raw milk, and some children have gotten sick from ground meat cooked at home. Second, O157 has caused some real tragedies since the early 1980's. Other youngsters survived but with serious health problems. Epidemiologists who study the spread of disease say some aspects of modern food production make these kinds of outbreaks more likely.
Food is mass produced, and as a result bacteria can easily spread through large volumes of product.
People eat out more at high-volume restaurants which exposes hundreds to any mistake in food preparation. At home or eating out, make sure burgers are done. That means brown or gray in the middle and no pink in juices. Cook these dishes thoroughly to a bubbling, steamy state. Poultry and fish should always be thoroughly cooked too.