[The presence of the Yersinia group in environmental factors, food and some animal species].

In a broad bacteriologic investigation, including more than 3,000 examination of domestic animals (porcines, bovines), fish, food (milk, ice cream), surface waters and soil, 27 strains of Yersinia enterocolitica were isolated. Of them 22 belonged to the O3(-8); O5(-6); O5,7,8(-2); O6(-2); O7(-2); O9(-2) serotypes, and 5 could not be serotyped, but were included in the biotype I. The strains isolated from fish, food and environment had a biochemical and/or serologic behaviour similar to that usually referred to man. The O3 and O9 serotypes, frequently present in man, were found, in the present investigation, only in porcines. Due to this wide serologic dispersion, the author suggests in each situation a biochemical selection of the suspected colonies for their retention and complete identification, even if they do not agglutinate with the O3 anti Y. enterocolitica serum in the routine examination.