2023-09-03 04:00:00
The bacteria Escherichia coli that are producers of Shiga toxin can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome. In some affected it begins with bloody diarrhea, especially girls and boys.
Recently, in the Argentine Journal of Microbiology A study was published on the situation of the hemolytic uremic syndrome. It was carried out between October 2018 and June 2019 in 7 hospitals and 18 referral units in Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Mendoza, Neuquén, Río Negro, Santa Fe and the city of Buenos Aires.
The highest rates of cases with the syndrome were found in Neuquén and Bahía Blanca, province of Buenos Aires, among the total number of institutions evaluated.
The authors of the study included Gladys González, from the Neuquén Dr. Castro Rendón Provincial Hospital, and Luis Pianciola, from the Central Laboratory, in Neuquén. The first author was Dr. Marta Rivas, a former researcher at the ANLIS/Malbrán Institute and the company Inmunova, in Buenos Aires.
The scientists pointed out that hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) associated with Shiga toxin-producing bacteria is endemic in the country. Since the year 2000, the infection is mandatory notification to the national health system.
However, there was not much information on bloody diarrhea associated with HUS. That is why they began to carry out the prospective study. They sought to determine the frequency of cases of bloody diarrhea associated with HUS in 714 children from 1 to 9 years of age. Those children had had diarrhea.
They found that 4.1% of the cases developed the syndrome. They determined it through the Shiga Toxin Quik Chek (STQC) methods or by multiple PCR tests.
“The highest frequencies were found in the south of the surveyed area (Neuquén, 8.7%; Bahía Blanca, 7.9%), in children from 12 to 23 months (8.8%), in summer” }
They clarified that 13.8% of the cases had bloody diarrhea and progressed to HUS three to nine days following symptom onset.
They wrote that considering the endemic behavior of HUS and its high incidence, these data show that the rate of cases of bloody diarrhea associated with the pathology is low. “However, its early recognition is important for follow-up and initiation of maintenance treatment,” they affirmed.
For its part, the Ministry of Health of the Province of Neuquén recently recalled that there are safe practices to prevent HUS such as hygiene; care when handling, cooking and preserving food; and the use of safe water.
“The bacteria can enter the body through undercooked meat (especially minced meat); poorly washed raw vegetables; unpasteurized milk or dairy products or those that have lost the cold chain; cross contamination by using the same surface or utensils for raw and cooked foods; and contaminated water,” reported the health authority.
Given the appearance of these signs in infants and children under 5 years of age, it is recommended to consult the health team. Although there is no specific treatment for the disease, early diagnosis favors timely treatment.
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