Yersinia infections: a cause of abdominal pain in childhood.

Children admitted with abdominal pain were studied prospectively to determine the incidence of Yersinia infections. The three proven cases in a series of 65 children reflected the variation in severity of the illness. Specific stool culture was the most useful method of detecting the organism. Management of ill children with abdominal signs, for whom no diagnosis can be reached, should include treatment for Yersinia infections.