title: [Possibilities in contemporary diagnosis of Escherichia coli O157 infection in hemorrhagic colitis patients].
abstract: Outbreaks and sporadic cases of Escherichia coli O157 human infection are noticed since 1982 worldwide. Although the percentage of infected animal (bovine) reservoir in Poland is low (0.73%) human illness could develop. Shiga toxigenic strains can cause severe gastrointestinal disease with hemolytic-uremic syndrome and thrombocytic thrombophlebitic purpura with serious sequelae. For this reason we have examined 28 patients hospitalized with bloody diarrhoea for E. coli O157:H7 infection using Multiplex PCR Test. Only one person (0.036%), a 78-year old woman, presented characteristic symptoms (three days lasting bloody diarhoea, abdominal crumps, fever, neurological symptoms), endoscopical findings (marked oedema, facile haemorrhage, longitudinal ulcer-like lesions) and positive results on PCR. Despite low incidence of E. coli O157 infection doctors should be aware that such infection in Poland is likely to happen.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Obserwacyjno-Zakazna AM w Białymstoku.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Puzanowska
authors.forename: Sławomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ziarko
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prokopowicz
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Radziwon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003092:Colitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D018911:Trinucleotide Repeats / Q000235:genetics