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Yersiniosis
What is Yersiniosis?
Yersiniosis is an intestinal illness caused by infection with certain Yersinia bacteria. It is somewhat uncommon and more often reported in young children than adults.
Who gets Yersiniosis?
Anyone can get yersiniosis, however, it is more common in children.
How is Yersiniosis spread?
Yersinia bacteria are commonly found in wild and domesticated animals, most frequently in pigs among farm animals A person becomes infected with Yersinia by swallowing the bacteria. This can occur when an individual eats or drinks food or water contaminated with Yersinia, or has direct contact with an animal or pets (particularly puppies and kittens) infected with Yersinia.
Yersinia bacteria have been found in raw pork and pork products, contaminated unpasteurized milk, ice-cream, tofu, shellfish, and ponds, lakes and streams contaminated by animal feces.
What are the symptoms of Yersiniosis?
An individual infected with Yersinia may have mild to severe diarrhea (which can be watery or bloody), abdominal pain, nausea, and fever. Sometimes yersiniosis may mimic appendicitis, especially in older children and adults. Joint pain has been reported in half of infected adults.
How soon do symptoms occur?
Symptoms of yersiniosis usually occur within 3 to 7 days after swallowing the bacteria.
How is Yersiniosis diagnosed?
Yersiniosis is usually diagnosed in a laboratory by identifying the Yersinia bacteria in a stool or blood sample from the infected person.
What is the treatment for Yersiniosis?
Most infected persons recover on their own without treatment. Severe infections are usually treated with antibiotics prescribed by a doctor.
How long is an infected person infectious to others?
An infected person is capable of transmitting yersiniosis to others as long as the Yersinia bacteria are being passed in his/her stool. The Yersinia bacteria usually disappear from the stool after the diarrhea has stopped, but in some individuals Yersinia bacteria may continue to be present for several weeks or months after the diarrhea has stopped.
Should an infected person be excluded from work or school?
Most infected persons should be able to return to work when they no longer have diarrhea. Food handlers, patient care givers (such as nurses) and those who provide care of young children (such as day care workers) should not work while they are symptomatic. Young children who attend day care should be kept at home while they have diarrhea.
How can Yersiniosis be prevented?
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