title: [Clinical symptoms, treatment and outcome of EHEC and EHEC-HUS patients treated as in-patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  From May to June 2011 an outbreak of Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (EHEC) infections occurred in northern Germany leading to a great number of patients with hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). A monocentric case series from Hamburg is described.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients at that time presenting with acute diarrhoea at the Asklepios Clinic Barmbek in Hamburg were proved for EHEC infections. Clinical data of EHEC and EHEC-HUS patients treated as in-patients as well as stool analysis and laboratory results were documented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 117 patients suspicious to have EHEC infection were treated as in-patients. In 68 patients an EHEC infection (n = 36) or HUS (n = 32) could be confirmed. Additional infections with other diarrhoea-causative organism could be revealed in 23 of these 68 patients (34 %). The median age of the HUS patients was 44 years being significantly lower compared to the age of EHEC patients without HUS (51 years, p = 0,04). In the group of HUS patients there were significantly more women (26/32 vs. 21/36, p = 0.03). 19 patients with HUS dialysis was necessary. In total, a number of 248 plasma separations were required. 18 patients developed severe neuro-psychiatric symptoms. One patient died.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This monocentric case series describes one of the so far largest published series of mostly young and female patients with EHEC and EHEC-HUS.
authors: III. Medizinische Abteilung (Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie), Asklepios Klinik Barmbek, Hamburg.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Dücker
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Dautel
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Wagner
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Przewozna
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Oehlerking
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Repenthin
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Brüning
authors: T N
authors: TN
authors: Meyer
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Faiss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003113:Colonoscopy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D054324:Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005858:Germany; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012737:Sex Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014774:Virulence