Shiga Toxin–Producing<i>Escherichia coli</i>Infections Associated with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, Italy, 1988–2000

Abstract

The mean annual incidence of hemolytic uremic syndrome in persons </=15 years of age in Italy from 1988 to 2000 was 0.28 per 100,000 population. Laboratory investigations showed that Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection occurred in 73.1% of patients. STEC O157 was the most common serotype, but a considerable number of cases were from infections by non-O157 STEC.