Yersinia pseudotuberculosis produces novel superantigenic toxins designated YPMa ( Y. pseudotuberculosis -derived mitogen), YPMb, and YPMc and has a pathogenicity island termed HPI (high-pathogenicity island) and R-HPI (the right-hand part of the HPI with truncation in its left-hand part) on the chromosome. Analysis of the distribution of these virulence factors allowed for differentiation of species Y. pseudotuberculosis into six subgroups, thus reflecting the geographical spread of two main clones: the YPMa + HPI − Far Eastern systemic pathogenic type belonging to serotypes O1b, -2a, -2b, -2c, -3, -4a, -4b, -5a, -5b, -6, -10, and UT (untypeable) and the YPMs − HPI + European gastroenteric pathogenic type belonging to serotypes O1a and -1b. The YPMa + HPI + pathogenic type belonging to serotypes O1b, -3, -5a, -5b, and UT and the YPMb + HPI − nonpathogenic type belonging to non-melibiose-fermenting serotypes O1b, -5a, -5b, -6, -7, -9, -10, -11, and -12 were prevalent in the Far East. The YPMc + R-HPI + European low-pathogenicity type belonging to non-melibiose-fermenting serotype O3 and the YPMs − HPI − pathogenic type belonging to 15 serotypes were found to be prevalent all over the world. This new information is useful for a better understanding of the evolution and spread of Y. pseudotuberculosis.

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We evaluated drug resistance and R plasmids of 554 strains of Escherichla coll isolated from feces of migratory waterfowl, including whistling swans (Cygnus columblanus), pintails (Anas acuta) and black-tailed gulls (Larus crassirostris)

An outbreak of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in Kurashiki, Japan is described. This is the first conclusive report of a community outbreak of this microorganism. A total of 535 pupils, five teachers, and one food attendant contracted the organism. Causative organisms were detected in 19 out of 30 patients. All isolated strains belonged to serotype VA. Out of 653 sera of the pupils, 488 showed elevated agglutinin titers ranging from 1: 80 to 1: 1,280 or more within a period of 3 months.

A total of 93 Yersinia spp. were isolated from 68 of 252 dogs in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. The Yersinia spp. were 70 Yersinia enterocolitica isolates from 50 dogs, 2 Yersinia frederiksenii isolates from 2 dogs, 5 Yersinia intermedia isolates from 5 dogs, and 16 Yersinia pseudotuberculosis isolates from 16 dogs. Fifteen of 70 Y. enterocolitica isolates belonged to biotype 4 serotype 03 phagotype 8 (6 isolates), biotype 4 (maltose negative) serotype 03 phagotype 8 (4 isolates), biotype 3 (Voges-Proskauer and sorbose negative) serotype 03 phagotype 9 (2 isolates), and biotype 2 serotype 05.27 (3 isolates). The other 55 Y. enterocolitica isolates belonged to biotype 1 and were classified into serotypes 04,