Hemolytic uremic syndrome after Campylobacter-induced diarrhea in an adult

Campylobacter fetus subspecies jejuni is a recognized pathogen of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract resulting in a spectrum of illness from mild gastroenteritis to severe colitis with bloody diarrhea. Campylobacter is also being recognized as capable of producing systemic illness. Furthermore, antibody response, hypocomplementemia, and bacteremia with enterotoxic organisms have been described. Many of the clinical features, both local (le, in the GI tract) and systemic, parallel those of Shigella. Since the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) may be produced by the effect of endotoxins or the immunocomplex on vascular endothelium in susceptible patients, it is expected that this syndrome may follow Campylobacter enteritis as it does Shigella enteritis. We, therefore, believe Campylobacter jejuni enteritis should be considered as one of the causative agents capable of inducing the HUS.