Infectivity and Pathogenicity of Yersinia enterocolitica Serovar 0:8 to Wild Rodents in Japan

Abstract

Three species of wild rodents, Anderson's red-backed voles (Eothenomys andersoni), large Japanese field mice (Apodemus speciosus) and small Japanese field mice (Apodemus argenteus), mainly living in mountainous areas in Japan, were challenged orally with Yersinia enterocolitica serovar 0 : 8 to determine infectivity and pathogenicity of this micro-organism with respect to wild rodents. Y. enterocolitica 0 : 8 was shown to colonize the intestinal tract of these three types of wild rodents, and was occasionally fatal. The faecal excretion period of these mice was 10-14 days in E. andersoni and A . speciosus, and 35-49 days in A . argenteus. Wild rodents recovering from the infection showed resistance to a second challenge with the same infectious agent. These results suggest that these three species of wild rodents living in mountainous areas in Japan may play an important role in the ecology of Y. enterocolitica 0 : 8 . MORSE, D. L., M. SHAYAGANI, and R. J. GALLO, 1984: Epidemiological investigation of a Yersiniu camp outbreak linked to a food handler. Am. J. Public Health. 74, 589-592. REED, L. J., and H. MUENCH, 1938: A simple method of estimating fifty percent endpoints. Am. J . Hyg. 27,493-497. SHAYAGANI, M., I. DEFORGE, D. M. MCGLYNN, and T. ROOT, 1981 : Characteristics of Yersiniu enterocoliticu and related species isolated from human, animal, and environmental sources. J. Clin. Microbiol. 14, 304-312. SHAYAGANI, M., D. MORSE, I. DEFORGE, T. ROOT, L. M. PARSONS, and P. S. MAUPIN, 1983: Microbiology of a major foodborne outbreak of gastroenteritis caused by Yersiniu enterocoliticu serogroup 0 :8.

Detection of pathogenic <i>Yersinia enterocolitica</i> in pet Djungarian hamsters in Japan

“…Although serogroup O:8 isolates have been shown to colonize the intestinal tract of wild rodents, O:3 isolates do not colonize the intestinal tract of the large Japanese field mouse ( Apodemus speciosus ) [4, 11]. This suggested that the Djungarian hamsters from which Y. enterocolitica O:3/3 variant VP- was isolated in this study constitute transient carriers ; further studies will be required to determine whether this pathogen can infect hamsters.…”

A long-term observation for ecology of pathogenic <i>Yersinia</i> in wild rodents living in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan

“…Some researchers reported that pathogenic Yersinia such as Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis were isolated from Apodemus species but not from M. montebelli and U. talpoides [7,11,18]. Fukushima [6] and Hayashidani et al [10] intragastrically challenged A. speciosus with pathogenic Y. pseudotuberculosis or Y. enterocolitica O8 respectively and found that A. speciosus showed…”

“…In addition, Fukushima [ 6 ] challenged pathogenic Y. pseudotuberculosis to A. speciosus intragastrically and found that the juvenile rodents showed significantly higher susceptibility to this bacterium rather than that of adults and A. speciosus excreted Y. pseudotuberculosis in the feces for 1–2 weeks after oral challenge. Furthermore, Hayashidani et al [ 10 ] also challenged Y. enterocolitica O8 to A. speciosus intragastrically and reported that those A. speciosus shed this bacterium in their feces for more than 2 weeks. The wild rodent’s feces including pathogenic Yersinia might contaminate the environment such as feeds, soil, and water.…”

“…Some researchers reported that pathogenic Yersinia such as Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis were isolated from Apodemus species but not from M. montebelli and U. talpoides [ 7 , 11 , 18 ]. Fukushima [ 6 ] and Hayashidani et al [ 10 ] intragastrically challenged A. speciosus with pathogenic Y. pseudotuberculosis or Y. enterocolitica O8 respectively and found that A. speciosus showed susceptibility to Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. enterocolitica O8. However, there is no data related to the susceptibility of M. montebelli and U. talpoides to pathogenic Yersinia .…”

Potential sources of sporadic human infection with Yersinia enterocolitica serovar O:8 in Aomori Prefecture, Japan

“…Although this serovar has previously been recovered from pigs, cows, and wild animals (1, 7, 37), its natural reservoir has not been identified. Virulent Y. enterocolitica isolates have not been isolated from wild rodents (9,22), although a few reports on the isolation of serovar O:3 biovar 4 from rats associated with swine (14) reported that serovar O:8 was able to colonize the intestinal tracts of three wild rodent species (A. argenteus, A. speciosus, and E. andersoni) after oral challenge, and eventually caused their death. The period in which the organism was excreted in feces was 10 to 14 days for E. andersoni and A. speciosus and 35 to 49 days for A. argenteus.…”