[Roles of iron overload and chelating treatment in Yersinia infectious complicated by major thalassemia].

A study of 3 personal and 32 published cases showed that Yersinia septicaemia in subjects under 21 presents as digestive disorders with fever and occurs in one half of the cases in thalassaemia patients. Among the factors which may be blamed for this predisposition the most important are excessive tissue iron levels and treatment with chelating agents. Iron overload is present in 70% of patients with Yersinia septicaemia. The risk of infection in such subjects requires appropriate therapeutic measures.