Skip to main content
PMC home page
Epidemiology and Infection logoLink to Epidemiology and Infection
. 1994 Feb;112(1):133–141. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800057496

Sources of sporadic Yersinia enterocolitica infections in Norway: a prospective case-control study.

S M Ostroff 1, G Kapperud 1, L C Hutwagner 1, T Nesbakken 1, N H Bean 1, J Lassen 1, R V Tauxe 1
PMCID: PMC2271483  PMID: 8119353

Abstract

Yersinia enterocolitica is a recognized cause of gastroenteritis in northern Europe. During October 1988-January 1990, a prospective case-control study was performed to address risk factors associated with sporadic Y. enterocolitica infections in southeastern Norway. Sixty-seven case-patients (mean age 23.4 years, range 8 months-88 years) and 132 age-, sex- and geographically-matched controls were enrolled in the study. Multivariate analysis of the data showed that persons with Y. enterocolitica infection reported having eaten significantly more pork items (3.79 v. 2.30 meals, P = 0.02) and sausage (2.84 v. 2.20 meals, P = 0.03) in the 2 weeks before illness onset than their matched controls; only one patient had eaten raw pork. Patients were also more likely than controls to report a preference for eating meat prepared raw or rare (47 v. 27%, P = 0.01), and to report drinking untreated water (39 v. 25%, P = 0.01) in the 2 weeks before illness onset. Each of these factors was independently associated with disease, suggesting a link between yersiniosis and consumption of undercooked pork and sausage products and untreated water. Efforts should be directed towards developing techniques to reduce Y. enterocolitica contamination of pork and educating consumers about (1) proper handling and preparation of pork items and (2) the hazards of drinking untreated water.

Full text

PDF
133

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Andersen J. K. Contamination of freshly slaughtered pig carcasses with human pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica. Int J Food Microbiol. 1988 Dec;7(3):193–202. doi: 10.1016/0168-1605(88)90037-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bissett M. L., Powers C., Abbott S. L., Janda J. M. Epidemiologic investigations of Yersinia enterocolitica and related species: sources, frequency, and serogroup distribution. J Clin Microbiol. 1990 May;28(5):910–912. doi: 10.1128/jcm.28.5.910-912.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Black R. E., Jackson R. J., Tsai T., Medvesky M., Shayegani M., Feeley J. C., MacLeod K. I., Wakelee A. M. Epidemic Yersinia enterocolitica infection due to contaminated chocolate milk. N Engl J Med. 1978 Jan 12;298(2):76–79. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197801122980204. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Black R. E., Slome S. Yersinia enterocolitica. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 1988 Sep;2(3):625–641. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bottone E. J., Gullans C. R., Sierra M. F. Disease spectrum of Yersinia enterocolitica serogroup 0:3, the predominant cause of human infection in New York City. Contrib Microbiol Immunol. 1987;9:56–60. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Cover T. L., Aber R. C. Yersinia enterocolitica. N Engl J Med. 1989 Jul 6;321(1):16–24. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198907063210104. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Doyle M. P. Pathogenic Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Lancet. 1990 Nov 3;336(8723):1111–1115. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(90)92582-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Greenwood M. H., Hooper W. L. Excretion of Yersinia spp. associated with consumption of pasteurized milk. Epidemiol Infect. 1990 Jun;104(3):345–350. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800047361. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Kapperud G., Skjerve E., Bean N. H., Ostroff S. M., Lassen J. Risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infections: results of a case-control study in southeastern Norway. J Clin Microbiol. 1992 Dec;30(12):3117–3121. doi: 10.1128/jcm.30.12.3117-3121.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kapperud G. Yersinia enterocolitica in food hygiene. Int J Food Microbiol. 1991 Jan;12(1):53–65. doi: 10.1016/0168-1605(91)90047-s. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lee L. A., Gerber A. R., Lonsway D. R., Smith J. D., Carter G. P., Puhr N. D., Parrish C. M., Sikes R. K., Finton R. J., Tauxe R. V. Yersinia enterocolitica O:3 infections in infants and children, associated with the household preparation of chitterlings. N Engl J Med. 1990 Apr 5;322(14):984–987. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199004053221407. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Lee L. A., Taylor J., Carter G. P., Quinn B., Farmer J. J., 3rd, Tauxe R. V. Yersinia enterocolitica O:3: an emerging cause of pediatric gastroenteritis in the United States. The Yersinia enterocolitica Collaborative Study Group. J Infect Dis. 1991 Mar;163(3):660–663. doi: 10.1093/infdis/163.3.660. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Maruyama T. Yersinia enterocolitica infection in humans and isolation of the microorganism from pigs in Japan. Contrib Microbiol Immunol. 1987;9:48–55. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Mollaret H. H., Bercovier H., Alonso J. M. Summary of the data received at the WHO Reference Center for Yersinia enterocolitica. Contrib Microbiol Immunol. 1979;5:174–184. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Nesbakken T. Comparison of sampling and isolation procedures for recovery of Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O:3 from the oral cavity of slaughter pigs. Acta Vet Scand. 1985;26(1):127–135. doi: 10.1186/BF03546570. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Nesbakken T. Enumeration of Yersinia enterocolitica O:3 from the porcine oral cavity, and its occurrence on cut surfaces of pig carcasses and the environment in a slaughterhouse. Int J Food Microbiol. 1988 Jun;6(4):287–293. doi: 10.1016/0168-1605(88)90022-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Nesbakken T., Kapperud G., Dommarsnes K., Skurnik M., Hornes E. Comparative study of a DNA hybridization method and two isolation procedures for detection of Yersinia enterocolitica O:3 in naturally contaminated pork products. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1991 Feb;57(2):389–394. doi: 10.1128/aem.57.2.389-394.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Ostroff S. M., Kapperud G., Lassen J., Aasen S., Tauxe R. V. Clinical features of sporadic Yersinia enterocolitica infections in Norway. J Infect Dis. 1992 Oct;166(4):812–817. doi: 10.1093/infdis/166.4.812. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Prentice M. B., Cope D., Swann R. A. The epidemiology of Yersinia enterocolitica infection in the British Isles 1983-1988. Contrib Microbiol Immunol. 1991;12:17–25. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Saebø A., Lassen J. A survey of acute and chronic disease associated with Yersinia enterocolitica infection. A Norwegian 10-year follow-up study on 458 hospitalized patients. Scand J Infect Dis. 1991;23(5):517–527. doi: 10.3109/00365549109105172. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Shiozawa K., Nishina T., Miwa Y., Mori T., Akahane S., Ito K. Colonization in the tonsils of swine by Yersinia enterocolitica. Contrib Microbiol Immunol. 1991;12:63–67. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Tacket C. O., Ballard J., Harris N., Allard J., Nolan C., Quan T., Cohen M. L. An outbreak of Yersinia enterocolitica infections caused by contaminated tofu (soybean curd). Am J Epidemiol. 1985 May;121(5):705–711. doi: 10.1093/aje/121.5.705. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Tacket C. O., Narain J. P., Sattin R., Lofgren J. P., Konigsberg C., Jr, Rendtorff R. C., Rausa A., Davis B. R., Cohen M. L. A multistate outbreak of infections caused by Yersinia enterocolitica transmitted by pasteurized milk. JAMA. 1984 Jan 27;251(4):483–486. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Tauxe R. V., Vandepitte J., Wauters G., Martin S. M., Goossens V., De Mol P., Van Noyen R., Thiers G. Yersinia enterocolitica infections and pork: the missing link. Lancet. 1987 May 16;1(8542):1129–1132. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(87)91683-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Thompson J. S., Gravel M. J. Family outbreak of gastroenteritis due to Yersinia enterocolitica serotype 0:3 from well water. Can J Microbiol. 1986 Aug;32(8):700–701. doi: 10.1139/m86-127. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Verhaegen J., Dancsa L., Lemmens P., Janssens M., Verbist L., Vandepitte J., Wauters G. Yersinia enterocolitica surveillance in Belgium (1979-1989). Contrib Microbiol Immunol. 1991;12:11–16. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Wauters G., Kandolo K., Janssens M. Revised biogrouping scheme of Yersinia enterocolitica. Contrib Microbiol Immunol. 1987;9:14–21. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Epidemiology and Infection are provided here courtesy of Cambridge University Press

RESOURCES