Yersiniosis in sheep due to Yersinia enterocolitica

An outbreak of acute yersiniosis occurred amongst sheep transported from Inner Mongolia to Hunan Province in southern China. Morbidity was 41% and mortality of affected sheep was 34%. Eleven apparently identical isolates of Yersinia enterocolitica were obtained from liver, lung and skin lesions of affected sheep and all were biotype 3. Isolates could not be serotyped with available antisera. Lesions were observed in the skin, intestine, liver and lungs. The causative bacterium is apparently different from isolates previously identified as causing disease in sheep and goats in Australia, New Zealand, Norway and Great Britain. The source of infection could not be determined.