Prevalence and clinical course of typical hemolytic uremic syndrome among sibling.

Introduction: Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) isaninfectious disease caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli. The objective of this study was to assess the risk of transmission and clinical course between siblings with typical HUS.

Population and methods: Medical records of children with typical HUS between 1997 and 2012 were reviewed. Sibling pairs were established as inclusion criteria. A severity score was defined.

Results: A total of 133 patients with HUS were recorded; 40 had siblings and 4 progressed to HUS (10%). The mean age of the 4 sibling pairs was 29.3 months old (SD ± 11.5); 5 (62.5%) were girls. The mean time between each case was 5.7 days (SD ± 3). HUS was more severe in the siblings who became infected in the second place.

Conclusion: The risk of HUS transmission between siblings was 10%, and the clinical course of the second sibling was less favorable.