Yersinia Hepatic Abscesses and Iron Overload

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Abstract
To the Editor.— Leighton and MacSween1describe the occurrence of septicemia and multiple abscesses due toYersinia enterocoliticain a patient who had been receiving long-term iron therapy. Their report is further evidence of the remarkable susceptibility of patients with high iron stores to generalizedY enterocoliticainfection. From 1978 to 1986, in Italy, almost all cases of severe clinical disease due toY enterocoliticadeveloped in subjects with iron overload. In fact, eight of ten cases ofY enterocoliticasepticemia occurred in patients with β-thalassemia major, whileY enterocoliticaperitonitis was encountered in these patients exclusively.2,3All isolates belonged to human pathogenic strains (Y enterocoliticabiogroup 4, serogroup 03, phage type VIII; biogroup 2, serogroup 09, phage type X3). Five patients presented with deep suppuration limited to sites in the digestive system, such as the appendix and the mesenteric lymph nodes. It has been suggested that

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