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Escherichia coli and the hemolytic-uremic syndrome
R E Begue1, D I Mehta, U Blecker
1Department of Pediatrics, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, USA.
Background:
The hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) comprises hemolytic anemia, acute renal failure, and thrombocytopenia. It is the most frequent cause of acute renal failure in children.
Methods:
This review is based on an extensive overview of the literature dealing with the HUS in children.
Results:
HUS is the most common cause of acute renal failure in infants and young children and follows a diarrheal prodrome approximately 90% of the time. Nearly all postdiarrheal cases are caused by enterohemorrhagic E coli infections, in particular serotype O157:H7. Mortality is around 5%, and approximately 50% of survivors manifest some types of sequelae.
Conclusion:
Surveillance and contact investigation are important to control outbreaks, as well as early and aggressive treatment of symptomatic subjects to prevent mortality and severe complications, such as chronic renal disease.