Three years experience of adults admitted to hospital in north-east Scotland with E. coli O157

To describe the epidemiology, clinical features, treatment and outcomes of adults with E. coli O157 infection presenting to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary over a three year period.

Methods: A retrospective case note review.

Results: Thirty-two confirmed cases of E. coli O157 infection were admitted between 1997 and 2000. The median age was 58 years (range 16-93). Ten patients (31%) were from the city of Aberdeen and 22 (69%) from surrounding rural areas. Twenty-seven patients (85%) presented between May and October The source of infection was unknown or unconfirmed in all cases. Bloody diarrhoea was present in 30 (94%). Leucocytosis was present in 18 (63%) but only four patients (13%) had a fever Six of the 32 patients (19%) developed Haemolytic-Uraemic Syndrome (HUS) of whom 2 died. Ten patients received antibiotics of whom two developed HUS. Twenty-seven of the 32 (85%) had made a full recovery by time of discharge, three (9%) had impaired renal function and two (6%) died in hospital.

Conclusion: E. coli O157 infection tends to occur sporadically in rural areas in North East Scotland. It is not usually associated with fever Infection occurs more commonly in the summer and autumn. HUS complicates infection in almost one fifth of patients.