Because it is not always known whether it is viral or bacterial, little is done to the original agent after the onset of HUS, but the symptoms must be monitored carefully to minimize damage. As I best understand this, they believe that toxins cause platelets to clump together and stick to the sides of the blood vessels. The kidneys, because they filter blood on such a detailed level, are a particularly sensitive organ to this type of damage but the damage happens to all organs. As the kidneys suffer damage and renal failure begins, the patient takes on fluid, eventually no longer peeing on their own. The fluid increases the chances of high blood pressure.
Electrolytes become imbalanced, and if potassium goes high, it can damage the heart.
Examples of extreme symptoms are complete kidney failure, strokes causing brain damage, coma, and blindness. He indicated that Anna would get worse before she would get better, and they needed to watch her carefully. As for transfusions, which were likely given where her blood counts were going, we her parents were not advised to donate our blood. Because we were the best donors of kidneys should she ever need a kidney, they didn't want her immune system to develop antibodies to our blood which would down the line interfere with her ability to accept a kidney from us. She was learning to draw with her left hand because the IV site on her right arm inhibited her use of her right hand.