title: Vero cytotoxin binding to polymorphonuclear leukocytes among households with children with hemolytic uremic syndrome.
abstract: Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), the leading cause of acute renal failure in childhood, can be caused by different serotypes of vero cytotoxin (VT; i.e., Shiga toxin)-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC). Recently, VT was shown to bind to polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) in the systemic circulation of patients with HUS. This study investigated whether VT bound to PMNL could be detected in persons in households with patients with HUS. Serum antibodies against E. coli O157 and, when available, fecal samples from patients with HUS and household members were studied for the presence of VTEC infection. The circulating PMNL of 82% of the household members were positive for VT, whereas stool and/or serum examination showed only 21% positivity. Thus, current methods underestimate the number of infected persons in households with patients with HUS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Nijmegen, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. M.teloo@ckslkn.azn.nl
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: te Loo
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Heuvelink
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Boer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nauta
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van der Walle
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schröder
authors.forename: V W
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: van Hinsbergh
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chart
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: van de Kar
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: van den Heuvel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D022603:Shiga Toxins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D022603:Shiga Toxins