Yersiniosis
Yersiniosis is a food-borne infection primarily affecting the intestines, caused by the bacterium Yersinia enterocolitica. This bacterium is commonly found in undercooked or raw pork products, particularly chitterlings, and in unpasteurized milk. The infection can also spread through cross-contamination in food preparation, direct contact with infected animals, or untreated water. While anyone can contract yersiniosis, children and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk, especially from consuming contaminated milk or water. Symptoms typically include abdominal pain, fever, nausea, and diarrhea, which may sometimes be confused with appendicitis due to similar pain presentations. Most cases resolve within one to three weeks, but severe cases can lead to persistent joint pain and rash. Preventive measures include consuming only pasteurized products and ensuring thorough cooking of meat, alongside good hygiene practices during food preparation. Awareness and education about yersiniosis are essential for reducing transmission and protecting vulnerable populations.
Yersiniosis
- ANATOMY OR SYSTEM AFFECTED: Gastrointestinal system, intestines, stomach
Definition
Yersiniosis is a foodborne infection of the intestines caused by ingesting the bacterium Yersinia enterocolitica, which is often in infected pork products and in infected unpasteurized (raw) milk.
Causes
Yersiniosis is principally caused by eating raw or undercooked meat, especially pork, in the form of chitterlings. However, yersiniosis may be spread by processing pork chitterlings before cooking, by not washing hands afterward, and by then disseminating the bacteria through direct physical contact with others. Furthermore, cross-contamination of food may occur by preparing infected pork on the same cutting board as other food prepared in the kitchen. Drinking unpasteurized milk or untreated water that has been infected with the bacterium Y. enterocolitica also causes yersiniosis. Touching infected animals or their feces spreads yersiniosis. Rarely, yersiniosis may be transmitted through blood transfusion.
Risk Factors
Anyone may contract yersiniosis by ingesting raw or undercooked meat, particularly pork, but children are at greatest risk for infection by yersiniosis through the drinking of infected, unpasteurized milk. Because drinking infected, untreated water may also cause yersiniosis, those living in poverty and in developing countries are highly susceptible to the disease caused by unsanitary water conditions. Having a weakened immune system greatly increases potential bacterial infection by yersiniosis. Touching infected animals can also spread yersiniosis, so farmers, veterinarians, and stockyard workers are also vulnerable to infection.
Symptoms
Symptoms of yersiniosis include abdominal and joint pain, cramps, fever, nausea, diarrhea, and bloody stool. Yersiniosis is sometimes mistaken for appendicitis because both diseases cause severe pain on the right side of the abdomen.
Screening and Diagnosis
After a physical examination, a stool sample is collected and tested for the presence of Y. enterocolitica. However, the bacterium may also be detected by examining the person’s throat culture, urine, blood, joint fluid, or bile, confirming an infection of yersiniosis.
Treatment and Therapy
Most cases of yersiniosis resolve themselves in one to three weeks; however, severe cases of yersiniosis can reemerge approximately four weeks after infection as severe arthritic joint pain, especially in the wrists, knees, and ankles, with an accompanying skin rash. Antibiotics, particularly doxycycline, are prescribed by a physician for seven to fourteen days to eliminate the disease.
Prevention and Outcomes
Drinking only pasteurized milk and treated water is the primary way to prevent yersiniosis infection. All meat that is ingested, particularly pork chitterlings, should be refrigerated properly and then cooked thoroughly. Anyone involved in the preparation of chitterlings should wear rubber gloves if possible, wash hands often, use a separate cutting board and utensils for the preparation of the pork, and avoid touching one’s eyes, nose, or mouth during food preparation. Those who work with animals, such as farmers, veterinarians, and stockyard workers, should wear gloves to avoid being infected by animals, and children should wash hands thoroughly after touching animals at petting zoos or other locations.
Bibliography
"About Yersinia Infection." Centers for Disease Control, 25 Apr. 2024, www.cdc.gov/yersinia/about/index.html. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
Hunter, Beatrice. Infectious Connections: How Short-Term Foodborne Infections Can Lead to Long-Term Health Problems. Laguna Beach, Calif.: Basic Health, 2009.
Juneja, Vijay, and John Sofos. Pathogens and Toxins in Foods: Challenges and Interventions. Washington, D.C.: ASM Press, 2010.
Parker, James. The Official Patient’s Sourcebook on Yersiniosis. San Diego, Calif.: Icon Health, 2002.