Syndrome hémolytique et urémique àEscherichia coli : quels enseignements tirer après l’épidémie européenne de 2011 ?

Abstract

Hemolytic and uremic syndrome (HUS) is the most feared complication of infections with enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. During summer 2011, Europe was the scene of a large outbreak of shiga-toxin producing E. coli gastroenteritis, occasioning more than 800 cases of HUS, highlighting this public health problem. Last years, many advances have occurred, on the physiopathology, microbiology or therapeutics. We review here these different aspects, from molecular identification of the German bacteria, to the use of targeted therapies as eculizumab in severe forms, or even the major role of complement activation in the physiopathology of HUS.