Haemolytic-uraemic syndrome caused by vero toxin-producing Escherichia coli serotype Rough : K-: H49

The first case of haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS) caused by Vero toxin-pr oducing Escherichia cop (VTEC) which belonged to a novel serotype, Rough: K -: H49, is reported. The case was initially diagnosed as nephropathia epide mica caused by Puumala virus, but the subsequent diagnosis of HUS caused by VTEC was made after bacteriological investigation. The strain isolated fer mented sorbitol produced VT2 toxin but not enterohaemolysin, nor did it car ry the eaeA gene. In VTEC strains, the O antigen, the eaeA gene and enteroh aemolysin production have been characterized as virulence-associated factor s and believed to have an effect on pathogenesis of these strains to cause haemorrhagic colitis or HUS. The findings of this study demonstrate that th ere is a need for further studies to evaluate the pathogenetic mechanism of VTEC and need for easy diagnostic methods exploiting other properties than O157 antigen and non-fermentation of sorbitol to find all VTEC in human in fections.