Yersinia enterocolitica is a foodborne bacterial pathogen able to grow at refrigerated temperatures and cause gastroenteritis. It has recently been discovered that it is the cause of far more illness in the United Kingdom than previously thought.
Origins
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Widespread in the environment; in soil, water, vegetation, the digestive tract of animals and in their faeces.
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Pigs are the most important animal source.
Food at risk
- Foods most frequently associated with yersiniosis are meats, especially pork, poultry, seafood, unpasteurised milk, and water.
Incidence
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In a recent study¹ Yersinia enterocolitica was isolated from 37/50 raw chicken, 8/10 pork, 8/10 salmon and 1/10 leafy green samples collected at retail in the UK.
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Yersinia is one of the most common causes of foodborne bacterial illness in Europe and has recently been found to be under reported in the UK.
Background
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Until recently cases of yersiniosis in the UK were thought to be rare, but recently published research² indicates that around 7,500 cases per year have been missed in England.
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With the rise in awareness of Yersinia enterocolitica as a cause of foodborne illness, there are calls for increased surveillance.
Health
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Yersinia enterocolitica causes gastroenteritis.
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Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain which may be confused with appendicitis, and diarrhoea, often bloody. Complications may include reactive arthritis.
How Eurofins can help
Eurofins Food Testing UK has added Yersinia enterocolitica to our range of microbiological tests for foods. This service is available from our Grimsby food testing microbiology laboratory.
To learn more about how Eurofins can help with managing your risks from Yersinia enterocolitica, or to arrange testing, please contact us or call 0845 604 6740.
References:
1. Yersinia enterocolitica biovar 1A: An underappreciated potential pathogen in the food chain — UK Health Security Agency (ukhsa.gov.uk)
2. Forgotten but not gone: Yersinia infections in England, 1975 to 2020 - www.eurosurveillance.org
