Who is at risk for STEC infection?

Anyone can contract a STEC infection, but children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals (e.g., cancer patients, people with HIV, patients on immunosuppressive treatments) are more susceptible to developing severe disease. Children under 5 years and the elderly are at higher risk for developing Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a severe complication of STEC infection. In some adults, STEC infection can occur without clinical symptoms (asymptomatic individuals) but they can still shed STEC in their faeces and transmit it via the faecal-oral route.