Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

摘要

Along with a report of the first outbreak of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) caused by Shiga-like toxin (SLT) producing E. coli in Australia (1), this issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases presents three papers detailing the investigations of pediatric HUS cases linked to Shiga toxin (ST) and SLT producing bacteria. Goldwater and Bettelheim present a case of pediatric HUS associated with SLT producing Escherichia coli (SLTEC) O48:H21 in South Australia; this strain has not previously been recognized as an SLTEC. Saeed et al. report on the increasingly common identification of HUS in Saudi Arabia, its association with multiple-antibiotic-resistant Shigella dysenteriae type 1, and the inherent dangers of treating such patients with ampicillin and nalidixic acid. Al- Qawari et al. report on the results of active surveillance for dysentery and HUS in Saudi Arabia and discuss a possibly elevated risk for HUS in patients with bloody diarrhea who are hospitalized and treated with nalidixic acid during an outbreak of S. dysenteriae type 1.