Haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS)

Statutory notification

• Haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• Alert: Cases must be reported urgently by telephone to the local public health unit within a few hours of first suspicion of diagnosis.
• Case definition: See Haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) (external site) national surveillance case definition.
• Notification: Notify using the communicable disease notification form for metropolitan residents (PDF 214KB) or regional residents (PDF 213KB). For notification of regional residents see contact details of public health units.
• See also description of statutory medical notifications in Western Australia.

Public health summary

• Infectious agent: HUS is a thrombotic microangiopathy that is characterised by haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopenia and acute renal dysfunction. Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a primary cause of HUS, although other pathogens and medications can cause this syndrome.
• STEC transmission: Faecal-oral, food-borne, water-borne and animal-person.
• STEC incubation period: From 1 to 10 days (usually 2 to 4 days).
• STEC infectious period: Most infectious while symptomatic. The infectious dose is low. The duration of excretion of the pathogen is typically ≤1 week in adults but 3 weeks in 1/3 of children. Use contact transmission- based precautions for hospitalised and institutionalised patients.
• Case exclusion: Exclusions for HUS apply to cases caused by STEC/VTEC only. Patients diagnosed with STEC should be excluded until asymptomatic, including normal stools, for 24 hours. If patient works in health care, aged care or child care is a food handler, or attends child-care, exclude until clearance specimens have been completed. See Guidelines for Exclusion of People with Enteric Diseases and their Contacts (PDF 764KB).
• Contact exclusion: See Guidelines for Exclusion of People with Enteric Diseases and their Contacts (PDF 764KB).
• Treatment: Oral rehydration and appropriate treatment as recommended by the doctor.
• Immunisation: None available.
• Case follow-up: Conducted by the Communicable Disease Control Directorate (OzFoodNet). 

Guidelines for public health units

• Guidelines for the Public health management of notifiable enteric diseases (PDF 387KB)
• Guidelines for Exclusion of People with Enteric Diseases and their Contacts (PDF 764KB) 
• Communicable Disease Guidelines, for teachers, child care workers, local government authorities and medical practitioners

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
• General infectious disease reports