Emerging Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli serogroup O80 associated hemolytic and uremic syndrome in France, 2013-2016: Differences with other serogroups

To generate hypotheses on possible sources of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serogroup O80 associated hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), we explored differences in factors associated with STEC O80 associated HUS, compared with STEC O157 or STEC of other serogroups, in France during 2013–16. STEC was isolated from 153/521 (30%) reported HUS cases: 45 serogroup O80, 46 O157 and 62 other serogroups. Median ages were 1.1 years, 4.0 years and 1.8 years, respectively. O80 infected patients were less likely to report ground beef consumption (aOR [adjusted Odds Ratio] 0.14 95% CI [Confidence Interval] 0.02–0.80) or previous contact with a person with diarrhea or HUS (aOR 0.13 95%CI 0.02–0.78) than patients infected with STEC O157. They were also less likely to report previous contact with a person presenting with diarrhea/HUS than patients infected with other serogroups (aOR 0.13 95%CI 0.02–0.78). STEC O80 spread all over France among young children less exposed to known risk factors of O157 or other STEC infections, suggesting the existence of different reservoirs and transmission patterns.