YERSINIA ENTEROCOLITICA ANTIGEN, STOOL

YERSINIA ENTEROCOLITICA IS A GRAM-NEGATIVE BACILLUS BELONGING TO THE FAMILY ENTEROBACTERIACEAE. IT CAUSES THE DISEASE YERSINIOSIS, WHICH IS AN ANIMAL-BORNE DISEASE OCCURRING IN HUMANS, AS WELL AS IN A WIDE ARRAY OF ANIMALS SUCH AS CATTLE, DEER, PIGS, AND BIRDS. THE PORTAL OF ENTRY IS THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT. THE ORGANISM IS ACQUIRED USUALLY BY INSUFFICIENTLY COOKED PORK OR CONTAMINATED WATER, MEAT, OR MILK. ACUTE Y. ENTEROCOLITICA INFECTIONS USUALLY LEAD TO MILD SELF-LIMITING ENTEROCOLITIS OR TERMINAL ILEITIS AND ADENITIS IN HUMANS. SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE WATERY OR BLOODY DIARRHEA AND FEVER, RESEMBLING APPENDICITIS OR SALMONELLOSIS OR SHIGELLOSIS.