Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome
General Information
Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)is a disease that results in red blood cell destruction (microangiopathic hemolytic anemia), low platelet count (thrombocytopenia), and can eventually result in kidney failure (renal failure).
There are three main types of HUS. The most infamous type is that which results from bloody diarrhea caused by E. coli O157:H7 infections, primarily infections in children under the age of 5 and the elderly. HUS occurs in less that 7% of E. coli O157:H7 cases.
There is also a form of adult HUS that is a rare side effect of HIV, antiphospholipid syndromoe, post partum renal failure, malignant hypertension, sclerodema, and cancer chemotherapy.
The third form of HUS is Familial HUS which is due to a genetic defect that leads to the uncontrolled activation of the complement system (a part of both the innate and acquired immune response that helps destroy pathogens).
There has been a lot of concern that the use of antibiotics to treat E. coli infections can in fact cause an increased risk for HUS. A 2000 study by Wong et. al. (The risk of the hemolytic-uremic syndromoe after antibiotic treatment of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections) reported that there did appear to be an increased risk of developing HUS if treated with antibiotics. However, a more recent study that compiled research on HUS and E. coli O157:H7 antibiotic treatment by Safdar et. al. (Risk of hemolytic uremic syndromoe after antibiotic treatment of Escherichia coli O157:H7 enteritis: a meta-analysis) found that there was in fact on apparent statistical increase of HUS infections when antibiotics were used for E. coli O157:H7.
For information about E. coli, please see the following:
Pritzker | Ruohonen has a national practice and represents E. coli victims throughout the United States. To contact the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the online contact form.
