Yersinia Infection

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Yersiniosis is a common bacterial infection that causes diarrhea .  It is largely a food-borne illness and can be prevented easily by practicing good food safety habits. Animals, including domestic and wild animals, can carry Yersinia bacteria. Prevent the disease by cleaning hands after touching animals.  

Note: Yersinia pestis causes plague and is discussed separately.  

Data

Get the latest Yersinia statistics in the BCCDC Communicable Disease Dashboard​

Information for health professionals

Definition
​Yersinia are bacteria that infect the intestines. Yersinia enterocolitica is the most common Yersinia species in Canada. When a person gets sick from this infection it is called yersiniosis. Yersinia are a common cause of diarrhea in BC and the world. 

Get the latest data on the Communicable Disease Dashboard.​​​

Symptoms
​Yersinia may cause
  • abdominal pain
  • diarrhea 
  • fever
  • bloody diarrhea (often occurs in children)
  • fever
  • nausea and vomiting (less common)

Symptoms start an average of 3 to 7 days after exposure to the bacteria. In some cases, the infection can cause pain in the right lower side of the abdomen, which can look like  appendicitis. If you have severe cramps or severe diarrhea, see your doctor. Sometimes a person can be infected and have no symptoms.


Causes
​Yersinia bacteria can be found in the stomach or intestinal tract of people and animals. The bacteria are spread by the fecal-oral route, meaning contaminated feces/poop particles are passed to the mouth. Fecal material from infected humans or animals can get into our mouths by:
  • consuming contaminated food or drink.
  • contact with the feces of infected humans that is not followed by proper hand washing.
  • contact with the feces of domestic or wild animals, including pets and farm animals that is not followed by proper hand washing. Pets may also have fecal matter on their hair or fur that is transferred to our hands when we touch them.

Yersinia can live in the intestines of animals including pigs, cows, sheep, horses, dogs, cats, rodents and birds as well as humans.  When animals are slaughtered and butchered for food, bacteria from an animal’s intestines may contaminate the meat that we consume. Common sources of infection are:

  • undercooked pork and other meats
  • unpasteurized (raw) milk, and
  • contaminated produce such as salad greens and carrots 
  • untreated water  

During food preparation, bacteria can be transmitted from contaminated foods to other foods or surfaces in the kitchen. This is called cross-contamination. Sometimes this happens with foods that are meant to be consumed uncooked, such as fresh fruits or vegetables. An example of this would be cutting raw meat on a cutting board and then cutting vegetables on the same board without properly washing and sanitizing the board in between. If the vegetables are eaten raw, the bacteria are not killed as they would be with cooking.

Drinking water can be contaminated if humans or animals leave their droppings (feces) in or near surface water sources such as streams, rivers, lakes or shallow wells and this water is not adequately treated.​


Complications
​Complications such as reactive arthritis or erythema nodosum (a type of skin rash) can occur. These are usually temporary but can last several weeks to a few months.​​

Tests and diagnosis
​​A yersinia infection is diagnosed by testing a stool sample.​

Treatment and drugs
​Antibiotic treatment is usually not needed. Your doctor will decide if treatment is necessary in your case.  

If you think you have a yersinia infection, see a primary care provider for testing, advice and treatment.​

Coping and support
​Children in child care who have diarrhea or vomiting can be cared for temporarily in an area separate from other children until picked up by their parents. To ensure proper hand washing, children in child care should be supervised by an adult when washing their hands.​​

Prevention

Food safety 

Be aware of the risks associated with the food products you buy and know how to prepare your food safely. Pork is most commonly associated with yersiniosis but treat all raw meat as if it is contaminated and handle it accordingly. To lower your risk of yersiniosis: 

  • Do not eat raw or undercooked meats. To ensure meats are cooked thoroughly use a meat thermometer and take the internal temperature of the meat by inserting the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.  Meat should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature    of 71º C (160º F). Poultry must be cooked to 74º C (165º F). 
  • Store raw meats well wrapped and on lower refrigerator shelves to prevent cross contamination 
  • Thaw meat in the refrigerator, microwave, or under cold running water, not at room temperature. Refrigerate foods promptly. 
  • Avoid direct contact between raw meats and other uncooked foods. When cooking or barbequing, use separate plates and utensils for raw and cooked meat. 
  • Use a separate cutting board for raw meats. If a second cutting board is unavailable, cut all other ingredients first before cutting raw meats. 
  • Thoroughly wash and sanitize items all contaminated items and surfaces that do not go into the dishwasher such as cutting boards, utensils, counters, kitchen sinks and tap handles: 
    • Wash with warm, soapy water. 
    • Rinse with warm, plain water. 
    • Sanitize with a mild bleach solution – one teaspoon (5 millilitres) of bleach per quart (litre) of water. 
    • Immerse items in the solution or spray solution onto surfaces and soak for at least two minutes to kill any bacteria. 

Clean hands

To prevent the spread of infection, wash your hands with soap: 

  1.  before eating 
  2. before handling food 
  3.   immediately after handling raw poultry or meat
  4. after using the toilet or changing diapers 
  5. after touching animals or animal toys 

Make sure children, particularly those who handle pets, wash their hands carefully before eating and on a regular basis if they suck their thumbs or put their hands in their mouths. Do not allow young children or those who have compromised immune systems to handle chicks, ducklings or reptile pets.

If a trip to a petting zoo or farm is planned, please see the HealthLink BC Petting Zoo and Open Farm Visits health file​.

Drinking water

If your local drinking water provider has issued a drinking water advisory for your community, follow the instructions provided until the advisory is lifted. 

Do not drink untreated surface water from a spring, stream, river, lake, pond or shallow well. Assume it is contaminated with animal feces. Boil or disinfect water from these sources that is used for: 

  • drinking making ice cubes 
  • washing uncooked fruits and vegetables 
  • making baby formula 
  • brushing teeth 
  • washing dentures

Boiling water

Boil water for at least 1 minute at a rolling boil. At elevations above 2,000 m (6562 ft), boil for at least 2 minutes. 

Disinfecting water

If boiling is not an option, disinfect​ water using household bleach. Use only regular, unscented chlorine bleach.

If you are sick

Yersinia is passed in the feces; therefore people with diarrhea that could be due to an infection should not go to school or work if they are in a high risk setting such as caring for people or preparing food. If you are a food handler, health care worker or work in or attend a childcare, it is possible for you to transmit yersinia to others in these settings. Do not work while you have diarrhea or vomiting and do not return to work or day care until 48 hours after your last loose stool or episode of vomiting. This time period will ensure you have a chance to recover and lessen the possibility of transmitting the infection to others. See the guideline related to the exclusion of enteric cases and their contacts from high risk settings in  the BCCDC Communicable Disease Control Manual​.​​

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