Complications of EPEC infection | EPEC – What is that?

Complications of EPEC infection

The most decisive complication of EPEC enteritis is that infants and small children in particular have few resources to adequately counteract the severe fluid loss. Water and salt loss is particularly dangerous in diarrhea. The kidneys are central organs in the body’s water balance.

In order to compensate for the loss of fluid and thus prevent serious complications, an inpatient admission with intravenous fluid therapy and, if necessary, antibiotic therapy may be necessary. Especially in developing countries, however, such therapy measures are often not possible, so that many children die as a result of dehydration.

• The loss of liquid with the danger of dehydration (dehydration).
• Bloody diarrhea can also be a sign of a complicated course.
• Large losses of fluid or electrolytes can therefore damage the kidneys in cases of severe diarrhea. A very low amount of excreted urine can be an indication of kidney disease.
• Massive dehydration results in symptoms such as clouding of consciousness, standing skin wrinkles and hypernatremia (elevated blood sodium levels).