Yersinia Enterocolitica

Edward J. Bottone

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781315898704
• eBook ISBN: 9781351094702
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Biology
• Index: Biological Sciences

First published in 1981. Comprehensive overview of existing knowledge of Yersina enterocolitica, including laboratory models, clinical observations, and associated dieases.

Chapter 1

CLASSIFICATION OF YERSINIA ENTEROCOLITJCA

Don J. Brenner

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.	Introduction
II.	Biochemical Characterization of Y. enterocolitica and Y. enterocolitica-Like Organisms
III.	Guanine Plus Cytosine Content
IV.	DNA Relatedness in Y. enterocolitica and Y. enterocolitica-Like Organisms
V.	Classification
References

I. INTRODUCTION

The genus Yersinia was proposed by Van Loghem²⁶ in honor of A. J. E. Yersin to accommodate Yersinia pestis and Y. pseudotuberculosis which were previously classified in the genus Pasteurella. Thal²⁵ first proposed that Yersinia be placed in the family Enterobacteriaceae. The Gram-negative, fermentative organism Y. enterocolitica was first reported by Schleifstein and Coleman²² who called their isolates Bacterium enterocoliticum. Hassig et al.¹⁴ were the first to isolate Y. enterocolitica from humans in Europe. Their isolates were named Pasteurella pseudotuberculosis rodentium. Daniels and Goudzwaard⁹ referred to similiar isolates as Pasteurella X.

Frederiksen¹³ examined 55 of these strains, including isolates from Schleifstein and Coleman, Hassig et al., and Daniels and Goudzwaard. Biochemical reactions were similar in all of the strains. Their antibiotic susceptibility patterns were also similar. Three different O antigens were present, none of which reacted with Y. pseudotuberculosis. Frederikson concluded: “The characteristics of this group of bacteria are sufficiently distinct to separate them from Y. pseudotuberculosis. Yet they resemble Y. pseudotuberculosis sufficiently to justify their classification in the genus Yersinia (within the family Enterobacteriaceae as a separate species: Y. enterocolitica.”

II. BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF Y. ENTEROCOLITICA AND Y. ENTEROCOLITICA-LIKE ORGANISMS

Y. enterocolitica strains, unlike Y. pseudotuberculosis, show considerable biochemical variability. The biochemical profiles of Y. enterocolitica and Y. enterocolitica-like strains are quite dependent upon the temperature of incubation. Results obtained at 22°C to 28°C are often considerably different from those obtained at 36°C± FC.^{2,4,8,16,21,23} Furthermore, strains from different sources and/or geographical origins often have different biochemical reactions. It was, therefore, difficult to develop a biochemical definition and biochemical boundaries for Y. enterocolitica. Biochemical reactions obtained for Y. enterocolitica in several laboratories are given in Table 1.

Most strains identified as Y. enterocolitica are characterized and separated from Y. pseudotuberculosis by the reactions given in Table 2. Y. enterocolitica strains differ in reactions for lecithinase (lipase), indole, xylose, esculin, and salicin. These reactions became the basis for several biotyping schemes (Table 3). Several other biogroups of Y. enterocolitica-like strains were encountered. These included metabolically inactive strains isolated from hares.¹⁹ The hare strains are trehalose-negative and are often sucrose-negative. Niléhn²¹ and Wauters²⁸ included them as biogroup 5 of Y. enterocolitica (Table 3). Stevens and Mair²⁴ did a numerical taxonomic study of Y. enterocolitica and considered the trehalose-negative strains to be members of a separate species. A second sucrose-negative group was described by Fredericksen.¹³ These organisms were trehalose-positive.

Two groups of rhamnose-positive Y. enterocolitica-like strains have been described.^{1,4,5,6,17,28} One rhamnose-positive group is also positive in reactions for melibiose, raffinose, Simmons’ citrate, and α-methyl-D-glucoside. These strains are substantially more active at 22°C. At 37°C these reactions, except for melibiose, may be delayed or negative. The second rhamnose-positive group apparently differs from typical Y. enterocolitica only in its ability to ferment rhamnose. Botzler et al.⁶ described a sucrose-negative, rhamnose-positive group of Y. enterocolitica-like strains.

In addition to these Y. enterocolitica-like groups, there are a number of strains with various reactions atypical for Y. enterocolitica. These include lactose-positive, lactose and raffinose-positive, urease-negative, methyl red-negative, and D-mannose-negative strains.

Table 1
BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS OF YERSINIA ENTEROCOLITICA

Note: + = 90% or more positive; – = less than 10% positive; v = 10 to 89.9% positive; ( ) = delayed reaction, positive in 3 days or longer. The following tests done in one or more of the laboratories cited above were 100% negative: H₂S, Simmons’ citrate, Koser’s citrate, gelatin, lysine decarboxylase, arginine dihydrolase, phenylalanine deaminase, glucose (gas), dulcitol, adonitol, malonate, mucate, alginate, o-arabinos...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Chapter 1 Classification of Yersinia enterocolitica
• Chapter 2 Isolation Techniques for Yersinia enterocolitica
• Chapter 3 Yersinia enterocolitica: An Approach to Laboratory Identification with Reference to Deoxyribonucleic Acid Hybridization Groups and Biochemical Characteristics
• Chapter 4 Microbiological Aspects of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
• Chapter 5 Antigens of Yersinia enterocolitica
• Chapter 6 Antibiotic Resistance in Yersinia enterocolitica
• Chapter 7 Human Yersinia enterocolitica Infection: Laboratory Models
• Chapter 8 Yersinia enterocolitica: Clinical Observations
• Chapter 9 Yersinia enterocolitica Gastroenteritis in Children and Their Families
• Chapter 10 Yersinia enteritis and Crohn’s Disease
• Chapter 11 Arthritis Associated with Yersinia enterocolitica Infection
• Chapter 12 Erythema Nodosum Associated with Infection with Yersinia enterocolitica
• Chapter 13 The Occurrence of Antibodies to Yersinia enterocolitica in Thyroid Diseases
• Chapter 14 Zoonotic Yersinia enterocolitica Infection: Host Range, Clinical Manifestations, and Transmission Between Animals and Man
• Chapter 15 The Occurrence of Yersinia enterocolitica in Foods
• Chapter 16 Epidemiological Aspects of Yersinia enterocolitica in New York State with Emphasis on a Recent Food-Borne Outbreak
• Chapter 17 Yersinia enterocolitica Infections in Canada
• Chapter 18 Yersinia enterocolitica in South Africa
• Chapter 19 Epidemiologic Aspects of Yersiniosis in Japan
• Index