The acute disease associated with this organism is named hemorrhagic colitis. The symptoms characteristic of this disease are watery and/or bloody diarrhea, fever, nausea, severe abdominal cramping, and vomiting. Because most people recover from this infection on their own, treatment is usually not necessary. Symptoms can appear within hours or up to several days after ingestion of the bacteria, and the illness duration is normally 5 to 10 days.
Some individuals may develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). In the very young, this disorder can cause renal failure, hemolytic anemia, permanent loss of kidney function, and even death. In the elderly, these symptoms as well as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (HUS with additional neurological dysfunction and/or fever) may occur.
