Abstract
Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli first described in the United States in 1983, are important, worldwide spread zoonotic pathogens with a significant outbreak potential. Besides uncomplicated diarrhoea, they can cause severe complications in children and adults including haemolytic - uremic syndrome and rarely thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.
Haemolytic - uremic syndrome is the most frequent cause of acute renal failure in children. In this article we review present knowledge about etiology, epidemiology, clinic, treatment and prevention of these infections including new data from National Reference Laboratory for Escherichia coli and shigella in Prague about the occurrence of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli in the Czech Republic.