Yersinia enterocolitica infections and pork: the missing link

To determine the risk factors for Yersinia enterocolitica (YE) infection in Belgium, which is the country with the highest incidence of this infection, 40 persons with YE infections due to serotype O:3 (n = 36) or O:9 (n = 4) were compared with matched controls. Most patients had acute gastroenteritis; 1 had a liver abscess. 20% were admitted to hospital; the mean duration of hospital stay was 9 days. YE infection was strongly associated with eating raw pork in the 2 weeks before onset (odds ratio = 12, p = 0.00002), a factor that accounted for 58% of the YE infections studied. 14 (18%) of 79 families surveyed at a well-baby clinic fed their children raw pork from a median age of 18 months. Specific control measures to reduce contamination and consumption of raw pork may reduce the incidence of YE infections.