Virulence of Yersinia enterocolitica Determined by Lethality in Mongolian Gerbils and by the Serény Test

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Abstract
Virulence of human and environmental strains of Y. enterocolitica was evaluated by lethality in Mongolian gerbils and by the Sereny test. The inducement of conjunctivitis in guinea pigs and lethality in gerbils after i.p. administration was restricted to a few serotypes of Y. enterocolitica. Human strains of serotype O:8 were the most virulent, while strains of the common human serotype O:3 and most others were essentially avirulent. One virulent strain of serotype O:8 produced fatal infections within 7 days in 4 of 5 gerbils receiving 100 cells i.p. There was no observable difference in virulence between i.p. and oral routes of administration, and upon death the infecting strain was found in high numbers in heart blood, lung, liver and spleen. Virulence in guinea pigs and gerbils was related to the presence of VW antigen determined by a nutritional requirement for Ca.