Taxonomy
Family: Enterobacteriaceae

Yersinia has 3 species of which are pathogenic for humans, namely

Y. enterocolitia, Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. pestis

Natural habitats
Comes in all animal species, but has also been isolated from (drinking) water, soil and vegetables, also from animal products such as raw milk, cream, ice cream, beef, pigs oysters, lamb and chicken.

Clinical significance
They can cause yersiniosis in human and animals and they are a significant food-borne pathogen.

Infection usually lead to mild self-limiting enterocolitis, terminal ileitis and adenitis in humans.

Symptoms may include watery or bloody diarrhea and fever.

The infections are sometimes followed by chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and erythema nodosum

Sepsis may occur with a high mortality in debilitated patients with severe underlying diseases.

Yersinia can also occur in pus of deep abscesses.