The haemolytic-uraemic syndrome in childhood

Haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS) is a clinical syndrome characterized by a cute haemolytic anaemia with fragmented erythocytes, thrombocytopenia and a cute renal failure. It is one of the leading causes of acute renal failure in childhood. HUS in children can be divided into the so-called typical, di arrhoea-associated HUS, and atypical HUS, which is not preceded by acute ga stroenteritis. Infection with verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli is t he main cause of diarrhoea-associated HUS. In this chapter the pathogenesis of diarrhoea-associated HUS and the role of verocytotoxin-producing Escher ichia coli in this form of HUS is emphasized.