[A case report of siblings with hemolytic uremic syndrome from whose stool E. coli O157:H7 was isolated]

We experienced siblings of hemolytic uremic syndrome which occurred following diarrhea and bloody stool. They were immediately treated with dipyridamole and aspirin, and recovered from hemolytic uremic syndrome in about two weeks. E. coli O157:H7 (verotoxin producing E. coli) which is recently thought to be related to the pathogenesis of hemolytic uremic syndrome was isolated in their stool cultures on admission. As far as we know, this is the first case in Japan from which stool E. coli O157:H7 was detected. Moreover, we reported clinical effectiveness of genomic investigation utilizing polymerase chain reaction method for verotoxin coding region in a rapid diagnosis of this bacterial infection.