Human gastrointestinal infections by Yersinia enterocolitica

In an average-sized peripheral hospital in Belgium, Y. enterocolitica has been isolated from 1.1% of stool cultures, using an unmodified routine technique. In a group of unselected patients undergoing appendicectomy, 1.3% of patients had a positive culture, either from the mesenteric lymph nodes or the appendix, or from both sources. In the same group of patients, 1.7% of cultures grew a Salmonella. In more than half of the patients, the diagnosis of mesenteric adenitis was made during the surgical intervention. The clinical picture of Yersinia infection was greatly influenced by the age of the patients. Bacteriological (serotypes, antibiotic sensitivity, associated enteric pathogens), epidemiological (sex distribution, seasonal influence and secondary infection among family contacts) and clinical data confirm previous experience with human yersiniosis in this country.