Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome+
This syndrome consists of:
1. Acute hemolytic anemia
2. Thrombocytopenia ( whete platelet count is below normal)
3. Severe renal involvement
This syndrome has unknown etiology and with a fatal outcome that may occur among infants 6 months of age till 3 years of age. Older children may also be affected with this problem.
The disease will usually begin with symptoms of acute gastroenteritis and in a few days, the infant becomes critically ill with the following manifestations:
– bloody diarrhea or widespread bleeding
– vomiting
– pallor
– jaundice
– oliguria or no urine output
– convulsions and stupor
The laboratory results may also show the following:
– hemoglobin in the complete blood count will drop suddenly
Bizarre fragmentation of red cells
– thrombocytopenia or low platelet count
The renal manifestations include the following:
– hypertension
– oliguria
– proteinuria
– hematuria ( blood in the urine)
– and azotemia
The mortality rate ranges from 10% to 25% and the causes of death during the acute phase are acute renal failure, anemia or cardiac failure.
The survivors may recover but with varying degree of permanent renal impairment.