Yersinia

A genus of bacteria which includes the causative organism of plague, Yersinia pestis. It also includes Yersinia enterocolitica, an uncommon cause of fever, abdominal pain and bloody diarrhoea in children which may last from 1-3 weeks. Occasionally the child also develops a skin rash and joint pains. Treatment is with antibiotics. Adults with this infection give a picture more like appendicitis, with right sided abdominal pain.


A genus of gram-negative coccobacilli of the family Enterobacteriaceae; several are human pathogens.


A group of bacteria includes the microorganism responsible for causing the plague, known as Yersinia pestis. This particular organism is carried by fleas that infest rats, ground squirrels, and other rodents. Transmission from rodents to humans typically occurs through bites from infected fleas. When this microorganism affects the lymph nodes, it leads to the development of significant swellings, as seen in the bubonic form of the plague. If the lungs become infected, it results in pneumonic plague, which can be transmitted from person to person when an infected individual expels droplets through coughing.


Another variation known as Yersinia enterocolitica has the potential to induce gastroenteritis, primarily in young children. In adults, it can lead to the development of arthritis and septicaemia, which is a condition characterized by blood poisoning.


 


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