Breakout of Yersinia
What you need to know
What Is Yersinia?
Yersinia is a food-borne illness and is found most common in young children but, however can be found in adults. Yersinia typically develops 4 to 7 days after exposure and can last 1-3 weeks. Symptoms include: Fever, Abdominal pain, and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Pre-symptoms usually include: Right Sided abdominal pain and fever. However there has been no deaths of Y enterocolotica but, after having the disease patients develop other chronic diseases from being exposed to the food-borne illness.
The Bacteria
Y. enterocolitica is the main bacteria in which Yersinia is contributed to
Y enterocolitica
An Epithelial cell is attacked by a macro-phage cell/ bacteria and the nutrients are taken from the epithelial and the macro-phage moves on to the next.
Characteristics of Y enterocolitica
Causes and Treatments of Yersinia
Causes
Yersinia is most often acquired by consuming raw, contaminated food, and undercooked pork. Preparing of raw pork intestines (chitterlings) may be particularly risky. Another cause for yersinia is preparing food and exposing others to the product by not thoroughly washing their hands.
Treatment
Yersinia in uncomplicated cases can be treated with just antibiotics. In more severe cases antibiotics such as aminoglycosides, doxycycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, or flouroquinolones may be more useful.
Prevention
How to Keep You and Your Loved Ones Safe
- Avoid eating raw or undercooked pork.
- Consume only pasteurized milk or milk products.
- Wash hands with soap and water before eating and preparing food, after contact with animals, and after handling raw meat.
- After handling raw chitterlings, clean hands and fingernails scrupulously with soap and water before touching infants or their toys, bottles, or pacifiers. Someone other than the foodhandler should care for children while chitterlings are being prepared.
- Prevent cross-contamination in the kitchen: -Use separate cutting boards for meat and other foods. -Carefully clean all cutting boards, counter-tops, and utensils with soap and hot water after preparing raw meat.
- Dispose of animal feces in a sanitary manner.