Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)

The hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) story starts when a person has become infected with a common germ called Escherichia coli (shorthand to E. coli); it stays normally in the digestive tract of people and the same thing for many animals. The E. coli germ causes HUS for the infected people, where the people who have HUS suffers from decreasing in the red blood cells (called hemolytic anemia), decreasing in platelets in the blood (called thrombocytopenia), and kidney failure. There are other strains of E. coli that may cause other problems such as severe abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhea; they produce a type of venom that damages the lining of blood vessels. The red blood cells are destroyed when they move inside these damaged vessels.

Although everyone is at risk of getting HUS, children and older adults are more vulnerable to get it. The risk of infection with E. coli and then HUS increase in people who:

• Eat raw or undercooked ground beef, where the meat can be contaminated with E coli when the animals are slaughtered.
• Drink contaminated water, or unpasteurized milk
• Eat unwashed vegetable and fruits.
• Work with cattle.

The E. coli can be spread between people or from one to another if someone, who is carrying it in his hands, touched thing, especially food.

There are many signs and symptoms of HUS that appear usually within five to ten days after the diarrhea starts, so, it is important to tell your doctor if:

• You feel unusual fatigue.
• Your skin became pale.
• You have unexplained bruising.
• You have any type of bleeding.
• There are swellings in hands, feet or any other part of your body.
• Your normal amount of urination is decreased.

Not all the people who are infected with E. coli get HUS, but if anyone got it, he should directly go to the hospital. Kidney function will be watch to make sure that the fluid in the body is enough, if the patient has thrombocytopenia, platelet transfusion will be done for him, while, if the patient has hemolytic anemia red blood cells will be transferred to him. Also, dialysis is done for the people who suffer from kidney failure to filter waste products from the blood; it is needed in the most severe cases of HUS. Most people who are diagnosed with HUS are fully recovered.