BACKGROUND: Intestinal infections caused by a shigatoxin-positive Escherichia coli (mostly of the serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145 and especially O157) are a common cause of hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Hemolytic-uremic syndrome was first linked with an E. coli urinary tract infection 40 years ago.
METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of the literature addressing the association between E. coli urinary tract infection and hemolytic-uremic syndrome.
RESULTS: For the final analysis, we retained 23 original reports published since 1979. Five unselected pediatric case series addressed the possible occurrence of hemolytic-uremic syndrome after an acute symptomatic E. coli urinary tract infection among 266 cases and found the mentioned association in 8 (3.0%) cases. We also found 28 individual cases (17 females and 11 males) of hemolytic-uremic syndrome preceded by an E. coli urinary tract infection: 16 children aged from 2 days to 6.0 years and 12 adults aged from 22 to 75 years. Testing for shigatoxin, performed in 19 cases, was positive in 15 cases. E. coli serotyping was performed in 18 cases: testing for serotype O157, O103 and O145 was positive in one, one and two cases, respectively, while testing for serotype O26, O45, O111 and O121 was always negative.
CONCLUSIONS: Hemolytic-uremic syndrome rarely occurs after an acute E. coli urinary tract infection. It affects both children and adults and is mostly caused by germs that are shigatoxin-positive.