You may think of a flowering plant when you hear the pretty name, but behind it is a not entirely harmless intestinal bacterium: yersinia, these are pathogens that can make themselves felt with gastrointestinal disease, but if left untreated they can also cause painful joint inflammation.
What are yersinia?
Almost everyone becomes infected with Yersinia bacteria during their lifetime. Yersinia is named after the Swiss Alexandre Yersin (1863-1943), the discoverer of the dreaded plague pathogen Yersinia pestis. The rod-shaped stool bacteria are found in numerous mammals and also birds. Factory farming of pigs and cattle favors the spread of bacteria of this type.
However, the most dangerous for humans are Yersinia enterocolitica – a febrile intestinal inflammation (also called yersiniosis) and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Symptoms include inflammation of the lymph nodes in the area of the intestine with acute abdominal pain. The pain may be diffuse or localized in the area of the right lower abdomen. In Germany, Yersinia infection must be reported to the public health department.
Diarrhea caused by Yersinia most common
Infections with Yersinia enterocolitica are particularly common: according to serological studies on the normal population, up to 40 percent of people examined in Germany have corresponding antibodies – because the tiny bacteria can be detected, for example, by a microbial examination of the stool sample. In a blood test, antibodies directed against the pathogen, i.e. proteins produced by the immune system, can be detected. Children and adolescents are most frequently affected.
The disease begins about seven to ten days after infection with the following symptoms:
- Mushy diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Abdominal cramps and fever
Adolescents and adults may experience severe abdominal pain that resembles symptoms of appendicitis. In adults, Yersinia can also cause flu-like symptoms. Diarrhea does not always occur due to Yersinia. Fortunately, joint inflammation occurs rather rarely after infection.
Complication joint inflammation
Yersinia can affect the joints of the lower half of the body – knees, ankles, and toes. In some cases, a condition called reactive arthritis may develop. Some patients also have deep-seated low back pain, which is indicative of inflammation of the sacroiliac joints. Experts suspect that such complications occur in about 15 percent of those infected with Yersinia. However, precise studies are still lacking. The doctor can only determine whether it is reactive arthritis by detecting the pathogens.
Antibiotics are used for acute yersiniosis, and antirheumatic drugs are used for reactive arthritis, treating joint inflammation with cortisone-free anti-inflammatory drugs.
Prevention and therapy
Sources of infection may include contaminated food. Examples include:
- Raw minced meat
- Raw chicken
- Non-pasteurized milk
- Salad
- Contaminated drinking water
Meat should always be well cooked. Hygiene in the kitchen is important; when traveling abroad should be careful with salad, avoid raw meat altogether and use boiled drinking water. Pets such as rabbits or guinea pigs, dogs and cats can also transmit Yersinia to humans.
Effects on animals
The presence of Yersinia enterocolitica has been documented in numerous animal species, although the symptoms of the disease are not clearly recognizable but usually manifest as diseases of the intestinal tract. In cats, for example, diarrhea occurs sporadically in addition to the mostly asymptomatic diseases. As a precaution, one should consult the veterinarian here.
In severe cases: Antibiotics
In most people, the immune system successfully fights yersiniosis. However, because diarrhea can cause major fluid and electrolyte losses, plenty of fluids must be given – possibly supplemented by the administration of electrolytes. In more severe disease, the use of antibiotics may be necessary. Antibiotics (tetracyclines such as doxycycline, gyrase inhibitors) are used for therapy.
