Cavitary pneumonia due to Yersinia enterocolitica in a healthy man

A previously healthy 51-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of pulmonary infiltrates of the right upper lung field with cavitation. Blood cultures were sterile. Sputum and stool cultures grew Yersinia enterocolitica. The patient was treated with intravenous ampicillin and recovered. Review of the literature yielded five previously reported sputum-positive cases of Y. enterocolitica pulmonary infections in patients with significant underlying diseases. All patients recovered.