A wired form of E. coli has killed a man and sickened 116 other in Oklahoma. Authorities are still trying to find out what caused the massive outbreak in the northeastern part of the state.

The E. coli 0111 is a subtype of the original bacteria and “is not normally found in this form of outbreak," as the director of communication for the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Leslea Bennett-Webb, stated.

Originally, the E. coli is a bacterium that is found in the lower intestine of animals with warm blood. The majority of E. coli strains are harmless but some could cause food poisoning in humans. The strains that don’t make any harm are part of the normal flora of the gut and can produce vitamin K.

The ability of the E. coli to survive outside the body makes it an indicator organism to test environmental samples for fecal contamination. Virulent strains of E. coli could cause gastroenteritis, urinary tract infections, and neonatal meningitis.

The cause of the outbreak remains unknown while 50 people were hospitalized and 9 others were placed on dialysis. Most of the people who are sick ate at the Country Cottage Restaurant located in Locust Grove between August 15 and August 23.

The CDC tested the water from a well on the restaurant’s property and even if they found the presence of the bacteria, officials couldn’t find out what kind of bacteria is it. The symptoms could be diarrhea, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramping.

The CDC also stated that there are nearly 70,000 E. coli infections every year in the United States.