[Yersinia enterocolitica septicaemia associated with Yersinia intestinal lesions detected by colonoscopy (author's transl)].

A 78-year-old patient previously operated upon for rectal carcinoma and who had no sign of immune system deficiency developed septicaemia. Blood cultures were positive for Yersinia enterocolitica (chemotype 4, serotype 0 : 3, lysotype VIII) and the histocompatibility antigen HLA B 27 was present. The disease responded to gentamicin and doxycycline. Colonoscopy was performed on the 8th day through the permanent colostomy opening and showed lesions of the ascending colon typical of Yersinia enterocolitis : whitish, oval ulcerations on an erythematous background. This appears to be the first published case of Yersinia septicaemia where lesions of intestinal Yersinia infection were found on colonoscopy.