Escherichia coli O157:H7 Gastroenteritis and the Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome: An Emerging Infectious Disease¹

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an increasingly common cause of a variety of illnesses, including bloody diarrhea and the hemolytic uremic syndrome. This emerging infectious agent was first identified in 1982 and has been isolated with increasing frequency since then. This chapter reviews the epidemiology, clinical spectrum, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infections with E. coli O157:H7.