title: Epidemiologic investigations of Yersinia enterocolitica and related species: sources, frequency, and serogroup distribution.
abstract: During an 11-year period (1978 to 1989), over 300 strains of Yersinia spp. (excluding Y. pestis and Y. pseudotuberculosis) were recovered from a variety of gastrointestinal and extraintestinal sites in patients in California. Over the 11-year period, Y. enterocolitica serogroup O:3 predominated, although a shift in the relative frequency of this serogroup was observed during this interval, increasing dramatically during the years 1984 to 1989. Of the remaining Y. enterocolitica isolates, over 40% were identified as belonging to serogroups generally considered to be nonpathogenic, although many of these isolates were recovered in association with milder cases of gastroenteritis. The results suggest a changing and expanding spectrum of Y. enterocolitica serogroups associated with various gastrointestinal and systemic infections.
authors.affiliation: Microbial Diseases Laboratory, California Department of Health Services, Berkeley 94704.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bissett
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Janda
mesh_terms: D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012703:Serotyping; D015009:Yersinia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D015008:Yersinia enterocolitica / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*