Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli Infections Associated with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, Italy, 1988–2000

Abstract

The mean annual incidence of hemolytic uremic syndrome in persons <15 years of age in Italy from 1988 to 2000 was 0.28 per 100,000 population. Laboratory investigations showed that Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection occurred in 73.1% of patients. STEC O157 was the most common serotype, but a considerable number of cases were from infections by non-O157 STEC.

Keywords

• Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli
• STEC
• hemolytic uremic syndrome
• HUS
• epidemiology
• laboratory diagnosis