A case of hemolytic uremic syndrome in a 2-year-old child with acute intestinal infection of viral and bacterial etiology

Abstract

Objective: Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is the leading cause of acute kidney injury. In pediatric patients, it is characterized by a tendency to progress to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and a high mortality rate. Shiga toxin-associated HUS (STEC-HUS) accounts for the majority of acute kidney injury cases in young children, representing approximately 90% of all HUS variants. This article presents a clinical case of hemolytic uremic syndrome associated with acute intestinal infection of viral-bacterial etiology, with a favorable outcome in a 2-year-old child. The disease onset was marked by signs of hematocolitis; on the sixth day of illness, the patient’s condition deteriorated, with the appearance of macrohematuria and increasing intoxication. In this case, renal function recovered without the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT). The child was discharged from the hospital on the 15^th day of illness (7 bed-days) in satisfactory condition. This clinical case underscores the need for vigilance among pediatricians when infants and young children present with gastroenterocolitis syndrome, as it constitutes a risk factor for HUS development.