Please read the clinical scenario, and then answer the question that follow to become familiar with the traditional NCLEX question format.
You are taking care of Jennifer, a 6-year-old girl in your pediatric ICU. She had bloody diarrhea and fever for a few days, before her parents noted she had not urinated in a few days. She was admitted for a rising potassium level, as well as decreased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine clearance, which are very specific markers of kidney function. She was diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and interestingly, it was traced back to drinking unpasteurized milk.
-What organism is the leading cause of HUS in the United States?

Question

Please read the clinical scenario, and then answer the question that follow to become familiar with the traditional NCLEX question format.
  You are taking care of Jennifer, a 6-year-old girl in your pediatric ICU. She had bloody diarrhea and fever for a few days, before her parents noted she had not urinated in a few days. She was admitted for a rising potassium level, as well as decreased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine clearance, which are very specific markers of kidney function. She was diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and interestingly, it was traced back to drinking unpasteurized milk.
-What organism is the leading cause of HUS in the United States?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

E.coli is the leading cause of HUS in the United States, with certain strains (such as O157:H7) being particularly virulent and associated with outbreaks related to contaminated food or water. Shigella and Salmonella can cause bloody diarrhea but are not typically associated with HUS. Clostridium difficile is a type of bacteria that can cause severe diarrhea and colitis, but it is not a common cause of HUS.

Please Read the Clinical Scenario, and Then Answer the Question