Cultivation of Yersinia

To enrich, isolate and enumerate bacteria of the genus Yersinia, Merck provides dehydrated culture media (DCM) based on granules. Our uniquely granulated culture media are convenient and safe to use: The easily soluble granules cause significantly less dust than powdered media. This leads to less inhalation of hazardous media components that may cause allergic responses and it minimizes contamination of the lab environment.

The media for the cultivation of Yersinia, like all Merck culture media, meet the highest industry performance standards as described in ISO 11133 and are quality controlled according to stringent standards. This guarantees the high quality and consistency of our culture media.

For Animal Hosts to Infection of Humans

Yersinia is a genus of gram-negative rod shaped bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae with 17 species. They are facultative anaerobes, so they grow in aerobic or anaerobic environments. Yersinia species have the ability to survive and to proliferate at temperatures as low as 1-4°C.

Rodents are the most frequent host of Yersinia but sometimes other mammals serve as hosts, too. Some species are pathogenic in humans, such as Y. pestis, the notorious agent of the plague. Infections occur predominantly via consumption of foods, like vegetables, dairy products and meat contaminated with infected urine or feces. Infections can also occur through blood. Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis are the most common pathogens in humans. Y. enterocolitica is found in domestic animals, pigs, birds and also in aquatic species, including frogs. Excrements of these animals can also infiltrate water systems, lakes and streams. When humans are infected they develop an acute gastrointestinal condition known as yersiniosis. An infection with Y. pseudotuberculosis causes similar symptoms. This species of Yersinia is common in various animals, including horses, cats, birds and dogs.