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Cat-contaminated environmental substances lead to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection in children
H Fukushima1, M Gomyoda, S Ishikura
1Public Health Institute of Shimane Prefecture, Shimane, Japan.
Insights
Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infections in children were linked to contaminated puddles and sandboxes. Stray cat feces were identified as the source of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis transmission.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Zoonotic Diseases
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is a bacterial pathogen known to cause various infections.
- Understanding transmission routes is crucial for public health interventions.
Observation:
- Two brothers in Japan were infected with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis serotypes 1b and 3.
- Exposure occurred through drinking water from puddles in a garden.
- The same bacterial strains were isolated from soil, sand, and feces in a sandbox.
Findings:
- A stray cat was identified as the source of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis serotypes 1b and 3.
- Identical plasmid restriction endonuclease patterns confirmed the cat as the source.
- Evidence supports transmission of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis via contaminated environmental sources.
Implications:
- This study highlights the role of environmental contamination in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis outbreaks.
- Pet and stray animal feces pose a potential public health risk.
- Preventive measures should focus on safe water and soil practices, especially in areas with animal presence.
Abstract:
A 1-year-old boy was infected with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis serotypes 1b and 3, and his 3-year-old brother was infected with Y. pseudotuberculosis serotype 1b; both had drunk water from puddles in a garden of their housing district of Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The Y. pseudotuberculosis serotype 1b and 3 strains isolated from soil from the dried-up puddles and sand and feces from the sandbox proved to be from a stray cat. The restriction endonuclease patterns of the plasmid in each strain of Y. pseudotuberculosis serotypes 1b and 3 were identical. These data provide evidence for the transmission of Y. pseudotuberculosis through water, sand, and soil contaminated by feces from cats infected with this species.