5-YEAR SURVEY OF HUMAN YERSINIA ENTEROCOLITICA INFECTIONS IN HUNGARY

Abstract

Human infections associated with Y. enterocolitica in Hungary in 1969-1974 were surveyed. During this period the public health laboratory network isolated 1355 strains from 1096 persons. The number of isolates according to serogroups was: 1343 O3; 6 O9; 2 O1, 2a, 3; and 1 strain each for O5, O6, O10 and O15. A total of 2192 serum specimens from patients gave positive agglutination reaction with antigen O3 in 26.8%, with antigen O9 in 3.2%. Of bacteriologically positive persons, 56% had enteritis. Other clinical forms (pseudoappendicitis and other abdominal complaints, erythema nodosum, rheumatoid arthritis) were encountered in 0.1-2.7%. Symptomless excreters of Y. enterocolitica amounted to 23.1% of all positive persons. Patients with enteritis and symptomless excreters were rather evenly distributed between 10 and 60 yr of age; 1-9 yr old children were affected more frequently (47.7% of all positive persons). The male:female ratio was 1.5:1. In seasonal incidence yersiniosis differed from other enteric diseases: it showed a peak in the autumn-winter months. Sporadic cases and family outbreaks were the most frequent; epidemic infections in nurseries were also recorded. Of 59 animal strains, 39 group O3 cultures were isolated from pigs, which may be the most important reservoir of yersiniosis in Hungary.