[Yersinia enterocolitica: 1st isolation from meat products in Argentina]

A search for Y. enterocolitica in fresh foods of animal origin has been carried out. Isolations were obtained from "chorizos" (thick fresh sausages), "salchichas" (slender fresh sausages), bovine and pig's tongues and caecum (Tables 1, 2). Enrichments were performed in saline phosphate buffer 0.067 M, pH 7.6 and nutrient broth with 0.5% glucose. Caecum and tongue samples were postenriched in 0.5% KOH. Subcultures were done in Salmonella-Shigella agar, MacConkey agar and eosin-methylene blue agar. Isolates were identified through biochemical, serological and lysotyping methods. The following biotypes (B), serotypes (O) and lysotypes (Lis) were isolated: from "chorizos", B2, 0:9, Lis X3 and B1, 0:7,8, Lis Xo. From "salchichas", B1, 0:5, Lis Xz. From bovine tongues, B1, 0:5, Lis Xz and B2, 0:9, Lis X3. From pig tongues, B1, 0:6, Lis Xz. From pig caecum, B1, 0:6, Lis Xz and B1, 0:5, Lis Xz. Serotype B2, 0:9, Lis X3 isolated from "chorizos" and bovine tongues has been only exceptionally found outside of human beings. Serotype B1, 0:6, Liz Xz was isolated from the tongue and caecum of one pig. From the caecum of another pig two serotypes, B1, 0:5, Liz Xz and B1, 0:6, Liz Xz, were isolated. In order to determine the importance of Y. entercolitica as etiologic agent of yersiniosis in Argentina, further studies on the frequency and distribution of this agent are recommended.