Yersinia Enterocolitica Antibodies Blood Test, IgG and IgA

Order this Yersinia enterocolitica antibodies test to measure antibody levels to screen for an acute Yersiniosis infection. Y. enterocolitica is the most common species of Yersinia bacteria that causes stomach and intestinal infections. This bacterial infection is caused by consuming or touching raw or undercooked pork and pork products contaminated with Yersinia enterocolitica bacteria.

While pigs are the primary source of the strains of Y. enterocolitica that cause infections, other factors may cause an infection, including:

• Consuming contaminated food or through contact with someone who handled infected food products.
• Drinking unpasteurized milk or contaminated water.
• Touching contaminated feces.
• In some rare cases, by coming in direct contact with an infected person or animal.

Although Y. enterocolitica infections are uncommon, they still cause approximately 117,000 illnesses, 640 hospitalizations, and 35 deaths in the United States annually. Children are the primary target of these infections more often than adults, mainly occurring in the wintertime. Fortunately, the infection usually goes away without treatment. However, individuals may require antibiotics to treat more acute infections. This Y. enterocolitica antibodies test helps diagnose an acute infection by detecting antibodies in an infected person's blood. The immune system produces these antibodies as a response to combat the Y. enterocolitica bacteria.

Signs or symptoms of yersiniosis can vary based on the age of the infected individual. Common signs or symptoms of yersiniosis include:

• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Bloody diarrhea
• Teenagers and adults may experience abdominal pain on the right side, which may be confused with appendicitis.

Symptoms typically take 4 to 7 days to develop after exposure and may last 1 to 3 weeks. Further complications, including skin rash, joint pains, or spreading bacteria to the bloodstream, are rare.

To protect you and your family from a yersiniosis infection:

• Avoid serving or eating raw or undercooked meat.
• Avoid drinking unpasteurized milk and its products.
• Clean your hands with soap and water prior to eating and preparing food, after contact with animals, and after handling raw meat.
• Use separate cutting boards for preparing meat and other foods.
• Disinfect all hard surfaces (cutting boards and countertops) and utensils with hot soapy water after preparing raw meat.
• Make sure meat is entirely cooked before consuming it, especially pork products.
• Clean up animal poop and sanitize any area that the poop touched.
• Avoid drinking directly from natural water supplies such as ponds and streams, especially if the water is near farms where livestock are raised.
• If your pet has diarrhea, wash your hands as often as you care for it, and check with your veterinarian about treatment.