In older children and adults, a Yersinia infection can cause fever and pain on the right side of the abdomen — pain that can be mistaken for appendicitis. The illness is yersiniosis, and its most common source is raw or undercooked pork.
An illustration of Yersinia enterocolitica. CDC.
Two germs, one disease
Two kinds of Yersinia cause diarrhea: Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Both cause yersiniosis. (A third, Yersinia pestis, causes plague — a different disease with its own CDC pages.)
People are infected by swallowing the bacteria, and children are more likely to be infected than adults.
| How it spreads | |
|---|---|
| Most common | Contaminated food, especially raw or undercooked pork · Contact with someone who has prepared a pork product such as chitlins |
| Less common | Contaminated milk or untreated water · Contact with animals, their surroundings or their poop · Contact with an infected person — for example, not washing hands well after changing an infected child's diaper |
Germs pass easily from hands to infants and toddlers. After preparing food, wash your hands well before touching a child or a child's bottles, pacifiers or toys.
Symptoms by age
| Young children | Older children and adults |
|---|---|
| Fever | Fever |
| Abdominal pain | Pain on the right side of the abdomen |
| Diarrhea, which can be bloody | Sore throat can also occur, especially in children |
Infection is confirmed by a laboratory test.
Treatment
Most people, young children included, get better without antibiotics; antibiotics are sometimes used for severe illness.
- Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. It can come on quickly in young children, so give children with diarrhea or vomiting extra fluids — such as Pedialyte or oral rehydration salts — and don't wait.
- Ask a healthcare provider before taking anti-diarrheal medicine such as Imodium, and don't use it at all with bloody diarrhea.
- Don't give children under 12 anything containing bismuth, such as Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate.
When to call a doctor
- Diarrhea or vomiting that lasts more than 2 days
- Bloody poop or pee
- A fever higher than 102°F
- Signs of dehydration: little or no peeing, very dark pee, strong thirst, a dry mouth or throat, dizziness or lightheadedness, or crying without tears
Sources
Based on "About Yersinia Infection," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain. Brand names are for identification only and do not imply endorsement.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.cdc.gov
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