Family outbreak of yersiniosis

Abstract

Yersinia enterocolitica biotype 1, serotype 0:21 was isolated from feces or rectal washings of 3 members of 1 family in northwestern Saskatchewan [Canada]. The 3 isolates gave positive pathogenicity tests in guinea pigs with cultures grown at 22.degree. C as inoculum. All 3 cases showed clinical symptoms consistent with yersiniosis. All 3 cases had symptoms of diarrhea and abdominal pain, and 2 cases had recovered fever. In 2 cases, appendicitis was initially suspect. One case with ileitis and peritonitis was fatal. The environmental source of the infection was not found, but river water, milk and person-to-person spread are discussed as possible sources of the infections. The need for microbiology laboratories to culture stool specimens specifically for Y. enterocolitica, using cold-enrichment techniques, is emphasized. This family outbreak of yersiniosis provides further evidence that certain biotype 1 strains of Y. enterocolitica are pathogenic.