Is the Yersinia enterocolitica Possible Infectious Agent in Acute Appendicitis?.
10.4174/jkss.2009.76.4.221
- Author:
Tae Joon SON
1
;
Dong Hee KIM
;
Yun Ju JO
;
Jeong Don CHAE
;
Boo Hwan HONG
;
Jae Hee KANG
;
Tae Seok LEE
;
Jun Gil HAN
Author Information
1. Department of Surgery, Eulji Hospital, Eulji University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kdh2109@eulji.or.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Acute appendicitis;
Yersinia enterocolitica
- MeSH:
Abdominal Pain;
Appendectomy;
Appendicitis;
Appendix;
Humans;
Prospective Studies;
Seasons;
Yersinia;
Yersinia enterocolitica
- From:Journal of the Korean Surgical Society
2009;76(4):221-224
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: With increasing frequency, Yersinia enterocolitica is being recognized as an important bacterial cause of acute gastrointestinal infection with abdominal pain. In addition, the association of Y. enterocolitica infections with acute appendicitis has been suggested. This study was undertaken to ascertain whether Y. enterocolitica is a possible infectious agent in acute appendicitis. METHODS: Between December 2007 and April 2008, 162 patients who underwent appendectomy for presumed appendicitis, enrolled in this prospective study. After surgical excision of appendix, a portion of each specimen was cultured for Y. enterocolitica with highly selective media (Cefsulodin-Irgasan-Novobiocin agar). RESULTS: Pathologically, 150 of the patients had appendicitis and 12 patients had normal appendices. Only one of the 150 patients (0.7%) with appendicitis was found to be culture positive for Y. enterocolitica, while it was not detected from normal appendices. CONCLUSION: The authors were unable to implicate Y. enterocolitica as a major pathogen in acute appendicitis within the Seoul area. However, we thought there to be more need for investigation for association of Y. enterocolitica with acute appendicitis over a broader area and season.
