Difficulties in diagnosing terminal ileitis due to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2014 Feb;33(2):197-200. doi: 10.1007/s10096-013-1943-4. Epub 2013 Aug 8.

Abstract

We report three patients with terminal ileitis and positive fecal cultures with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. From one patient, a virulence plasmid (pYV)-negative Y. pseudotuberculosis was isolated, which represents the second finding of a pYV-negative isolate associated with human disease. All patients were treated with ciprofloxacin and fully recovered. Since conventional culture methods for yersiniosis are gradually replaced with molecular tests not recognizing Y. pseudotuberculosis, we recommend to include a specific culture medium or to apply a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay on fecal samples from patients suspected of terminal ileitis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacteriological Techniques / methods
  • Ciprofloxacin / therapeutic use
  • Crohn Disease / diagnosis*
  • Crohn Disease / drug therapy
  • Crohn Disease / etiology*
  • Crohn Disease / microbiology
  • Culture Media / chemistry
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Plasmids
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Yersinia pseudotuberculosis / isolation & purification*
  • Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Infections / complications*
  • Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Infections / diagnosis*
  • Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Infections / drug therapy
  • Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Infections / microbiology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Culture Media
  • Ciprofloxacin