Yersiniosis

Yersiniosis is an uncommon bacterial infection of the gastrointestinal system caused by Yersinia enterocolitica.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms typically persist for one to 3 weeks but may last for several months.

They include:

• fever
• diarrhoea, often bloody in young children
• abdominal pain and cramps, sometimes on the right side like appendicitis
• joint pain, most commonly in the knees, ankles, or wrists
• skin rash, called erythema nodosum, on the legs and body, mostly in women.

Symptoms usually start 3–4 days after eating contaminated food.

Transmission

Yersinia bacteria can be found in the gut of pets, livestock and wild animals and is usually spread to humans by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. Foods at higher risk of contamination are raw or undercooked pork, unpasteurised milk and raw vegetables.

Contact with infected pets or animals may also cause infection.

Infection from person-to-person contact is rare. Even more rarely, people may become infected from a blood transfusion.

Anyone can get yersiniosis, but young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are at highest risk.

Treatment

Most people with yersiniosis recover without medical treatment. In some cases, antibiotics may be prescribed.

People with yersiniosis should rest and drink plenty of fluids.

Prevention

You can reduce your risk by:

• practicing good personal hygiene. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 15–20 seconds after going to the toilet, after changing nappies, before eating and or handling food
• washing your hands after contact with farm animals, pets, animal faeces or animal environments
• cooking meat thoroughly, particularly pork and pork products, before eating
• not drinking unpasteurised milk and milk products
• washing fruit and vegetables thoroughly under running water
• avoiding cross contamination when preparing meals – for example, use separate cutting boards and knives for raw and ready-to-eat food.

Control

Adults should not return to work until diarrhoea has ceased for 24 hours. Children should not return to childcare or school until diarrhoea has ceased for 24 hours. People who work in the food industry or health care professionals should not return to work until diarrhoea has ceased for 48 hours.

If you have been diagnosed with yersiniosis and are experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms, you should avoid the following until your symptoms have resolved:

• swimming in public swimming pools
• donating blood
• contact with people at risk of severe disease, especially pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.

Health outcome

Most people with yersiniosis will recover completely within a few weeks, but symptoms may last for several months. The skin rash (erythema nodosum) clears within a month.

Help and assistance

If you are in an emergency situation, call 000

Get qualified health advice 24/7 for the cost of a local call, by calling 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84)

For further information, please contact your local doctor, community health centre or nearest public health unit.

Other resources

Queensland Government: The Food Pantry

Food Standards Australia New Zealand: Yersinia in food

Safe Food Queensland: SafeFood_Yersinia-enterocolitica-Y.-enterocolitica_v4Feb2018.pdf

Queensland Health timeout_poster.pdf - Guidelines for minimum exclusion periods for cases and contacts attending schools, pre-schools and childcare centres