Incidence of yersiniosis in children with suspected acute appendicitis A prospective study

Abstract

Infection with Yersinia enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis has been associated with acute appendicitis. Data for northern European countries show an incidence of up to 20% in patients with acute abdominal pain and up to 30% in acute appendicitis. There are no data for these infections in children in Switzerland; therefore, a prospective study was started. Repeated serum samples were tested for antibodies against Y. enterocolitica 0:3, 0:9 and Y. pseudotuberculosis in 100 consecutive patients who underwent appendectomy for presumed appendicitis. In 85 patients acute appendicitis was histologically ascertained, but no acute infection with one of the tested bacteria was found. In the remaining 15, in which appendicitis was not proved histologically, an infection with Y. enterocolitica 0:3 was found in only 1 patient. Our data do not support an emphasis on yersiniosis in the differential diagnosis of appendicitis in Switzerland at the present time.