Characterization of Yersinia enterocolitica strains isolated from cattle, sheep and pigs in the United Kingdom.

The properties of 48 cultures identified as Yersinia enterocolitica or Y. enterocolitica-like organisms, including Y. frederiksenii, Y. intermedia and Y. kristensenii, were examined. Of these, 39 were isolated from faeces of apparently healthy pigs, five from healthy cattle, one from an aborted bovine fetus, one from an aborted lamb and one from a lamb suffering from acute enteritis. Most isolates from healthy animals were of Y. enterocolitica biotype 1 or Y. intermedia and belonged to O serogroups not usually associated with disease in man or animals. The isolates from abortion or enteritis cases were of Y. enterocolitica biotypes 3, 4 and 5 and belonged to the pathogenic serogroups 0:5b and 0:2a, 2b, 3. No organisms of serogroup 0:9 were found.