Introduction.Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is an infectious disease caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli. The objective of this study was to assess the risk of transmission and clinical course between siblings with typical HUS. Population and methods. Medical records of children with typical HUS between 1997 and 2012 were reviewed. Sibling pairs were established as inclusion criteria. A severity score was defined. Results. A total of 133 patients with HUS were recorded; 40 had siblings and 4 progressed to HUS (10%). The mean age of the 4 sibling pairs was 29.3 months old (SD ± 11.5); 5 (62.5%) were girls. The mean time between each case was 5.7 days (SD ± 3). HUS was more severe in the siblings who became infected in the second place. Conclusion. The risk of HUS transmission between siblings was 10%, and the clinical course of the second sibling was less favorable.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.