Washington - McDonald's share price has plummeted after the chain's restaurants in several US states were linked to an outbreak of E. coli bacteria.

According to the CDC, one elderly person died and ten were treated in hospitals.

A total of 49 cases have been reported in ten states, most of them in Colorado and Nebraska.

The share price of the world's largest fast food chain fell by more than six percent at times in after-hours US trading on Tuesday.

According to McDonald's, sliced onions, which are only used in the Quarter Pounder, the American equivalent of the Hamburger Royal, are suspected to be the cause.

They came from a supplier that supplies three distribution centers.

In five states and parts of seven others, the Quarter Pounder will now be temporarily withdrawn from supply.