ABSTRACT
The first confirmed isolation of Yersinia enterocolitica in South Africa was made in 1966 from the peritoneal fluid of a man with mesenteric lymphadenitis and ascites. Y. enterocolitica is frequently isolated from fecal specimens which also contain other enteropathogens, most notably Salmonella. In addition, many patients with elevated antibody titers to Y. enterocolitica also have Salmonella agglutinins in their sera. The clinical manifestation of Y. enterocolitica infections in South Africa resemble those described elsewhere. Between the years 1966 and 1967, 14 patients with generalized Y. enterocolitica infection were encountered in South Africa. Fresh pooled human serum is bactericidal for most strains of Y. enterocolitica, and the bactericidal activity is mediated by antibody and complement. The enterotoxin of Y. enterocolitica strongly resembles the heat-stable enterotoxin of Escherichia coli in being highly resistant to heat and acid. Despite the relative infrequency with which Y. enterocolitica is encountered during the conduct of routine bacteriology, it remains a microorganism of considerable interest.
