High frequency ofYersinia antibodies in healthy populations in Finland and Germany

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Sera from 94 healthy Finnish and 100 healthy German blood donors were studied forYersinia enterocolitica antibodies by two different techniques, enzyme immunoassay and immunoblotting, to compare the frequency ofYersinia infections in Finnish and German populations. The prevalence ofYersinia antibodies in Finland (19% and 31% by enzyme immunoassay and immunoblotting, respectively) and in Germany (33%, 43%) is relatively high and may indicate many subclinicalYersinia infections in healthy populations. Postinfectious complications, such as reactive arthritis, may follow also such subclinical infection; sensitive serological tests are important in their diagnosis.