ABSTRACT
Yersinia enterocolitica is a small, Gram-negative coccobacillus in the family Enterobacteriaceae. Clinical isolation of Y. enterocolitica was first reported by J. I. Schleifstein and M. B. Coleman from New York State in 1939. Y. enterocolitica has been isolated from numerous nonhuman sources including monkeys, dogs, cats, pigs, chinchillas, hares, antelopes, horses, deer, guinea pigs, cows, mussels, oysters, and fleas. Y. enterocolitica sepsis carries a high mortality outcome, approximately 40%, in general correlating with severity of the underlying condition. Y. enterocolitica has been isolated from feces, blood, abscess cavities, synovial fluid, bile, sputum, conjunctival secretions, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, anterior chamber fluid, skin lesions, and operative wounds. The pathophysiology of Y. enterocolitica disease in humans is poorly understood. P. B. Carter, using a human isolate, established an animal model of Y. enterocolitica disease by intragastric inoculation into mice. Y. enterocolitica strains are susceptible in vitro to tetracycline, aminoglycosides, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and chloramphenicol.
