E. Coli Infection From Food or Water: Blood and Kidney ProblemsTopic OverviewSevere problems affecting the blood and kidneys may develop in a small number of people (5% to 10%) infected with disease-causing types of E. coli , such as E. coli O157:H7, who get sick enough to go to the hospital. footnote 1 These problems include anemia , a low number of platelets in the blood, the formation of small blood clots, and kidney (renal) failure. Sometimes brain and spinal cord ( central nervous system ) complications also develop. Serious long-term damage to the kidneys and nervous system, as well as death, can occur. This set of problems is known as either hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). These two conditions are now thought to be different forms of the same disease. SymptomsSymptoms of hemolytic uremic syndrome or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura may include:
People who have been diagnosed with E. coli infection should be monitored carefully for these problems. This is especially important for children and older adults. They should have blood and urine tests rather than waiting for symptoms to develop. Monitoring should begin as soon as the diagnosis is made and continue for 2 weeks after diarrhea starts. Risk factorsThe following factors may put you at higher-than-average risk of developing blood and kidney problems from E. coli infection:
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ByHealthwise Staff Current as ofNovember 18, 2017
Current as of: November 18, 2017 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011). Escherichia coli O157:H7 and other shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Available online: http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/ecoli_o157h7/index.html.
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