STX2 and kidney failure: Previous studies have shown that stx2-carrying STEC isolates are more frequent in human STEC disease, particularly severe human STEC infections characterized by bloody diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis and the hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication commonly associated with renal failure and dialysis, worldwide (Boerlin et al. 1999; Friedrich et al. 2002; Obrig & Karpman 2012).