Resumen de Yersinia species: plague and other diseases

Carmen Gutiérrez Elvar, Ricardo Jiménez Núñez, J. Tejero Aranguren

• español

  Yersinia spp son enterobacterias patógenas. Dentro de este amplio grupo, tres bacterias son capaces de causar enfermedad en los seres humanos: Yersinia pestis, Y. enterocolitica y Y.pseudotuberculosis. La enfermedad producida por Y. pestis esla peste. Ha causado tres pandemias históricas que han causado brotes devastadores, como la peste de Justiniano y la "Muerte Negra" en la Edad Media.En los tiempos modernos, la epizootia de peste puede extirpar toda la población y la fauna silvestre susceptible luego desaparece durante largos periodos de tiempo.Las tres formas principales de la peste bubónica son, septicémicas y neumónicas. El diagnóstico precoz de la plaga reduce la mortalidad de la enfermedad. Las principales manifestaciones clínicas de las otras dos bacterias patógenas son: enteritis, enterocolitis, adenitis mesentérica y ileítis terminal de causada por Y. enterocolitica. La presentación clínica más frecuente de la infección por Y. pseudotuberculosis es la fiebre y el dolor abdominal.

• English

  Yersinia are pathogenic enterobacteria. Within this broad group, three bacteria are capable of causing disease in humans: Yersinia pestis, Y. enterocolitica and Y.pseudotuberculosis. The disease produced by Y. pestis is plague. It has caused three historical pandemics, which have caused ravaging outbreaks, including theJustinian plague and the “Black Death” in the Middle Ages. In modern times, plague epizootics can extirpate entire Populations and susceptible wildlife then disappear for long time periods. Nowadays Y.pestis is a potencial bioterrism weapon. The three main forms of plague are bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic.The bubonic form is characterized by fever, headache, chills and buboes (adenitis). Early diagnosis of plague is very important as it reduces the mortality of the disease. They are needed of specific laboratory tests, chest radiographs and antimicrobial treatment; streptomycin is the most appropriate but also it is usedgentamicin. The major clinical manifestations of the two other pathogenic bacteria are: enteritis, enterocolitis, mesenteric adenitis and terminal ileitis caused by Y. enterocolitica. The most common clinical presentation of infection with Y. pseudotuberculosis is fever and abdominal pain.