[Yersinia enterocolitica septicemia after blood transfusion]

Transfusion-associated transmission of Yersinia enterocolitica was first described in 1982. Since then more than 40 cases have been reported world-wide. The blood units are contaminated from apparently healthy donors who may, however, recently have had an episode of diarrhoea. Y enterocolitica is able to grow in packed red cells at refrigerator temperature. The mortality rate among recipients of contaminated blood is more than 50%. We describe a non-fatal case of a 80 year-old male who received one unit of packed red blood cells contaminated with Y enterocolitica (serogroup O:3, biotype 4). The blood had been collected 14 days before from a Norwegian donor with transient and slight abdominal discomfort. The microbe was isolated both from the patient's blood and from the donor blood bag. The patient was treated with ofloxacin and recovered without sequelae.