Bacterium
Yersinia enterocolitica
Cold-tolerant enteric rod, pseudoappendicitis
yer-SIN-ee-uh en-ter-oh-koh-LIT-ih-kuh
High-yield clue
Cold-tolerant (grows at 4C) enteric rod linked to pork and causing right-lower-quadrant pseudoappendicitis vocabulary.
Overview
A Gram-negative enteric rod that grows at refrigeration temperatures and is a study example of foodborne enterocolitis with mesenteric lymphadenitis that mimics appendicitis.
Classification
- Gram-negative
- Coccobacillus/rod
- Enterobacterales
- Facultative anaerobe
- Psychrotolerant
Lab & identification clues
- Cold enrichment growth vocabulary
- Motile at 25C, non-motile at 37C concept
- Urease positive vocabulary
- Bipolar staining teaching note
Associations
- Contaminated pork and dairy transmission vocabulary
- Pseudoappendicitis presentation vocabulary
- Reactive arthritis association concept
Commonly confused with
- Yersinia pestis
- Campylobacter jejuni
Frequently asked questions
What is Yersinia enterocolitica?
A Gram-negative enteric rod that grows at refrigeration temperatures and is a study example of foodborne enterocolitis with mesenteric lymphadenitis that mimics appendicitis.
What is the Gram stain of Yersinia enterocolitica?
Yersinia enterocolitica is Gram negative.
What are the lab clues for Yersinia enterocolitica?
Lab clues for Yersinia enterocolitica include Cold enrichment growth vocabulary; Motile at 25C, non-motile at 37C concept; Urease positive vocabulary; Bipolar staining teaching note.
What is Yersinia enterocolitica commonly confused with?
Yersinia enterocolitica is commonly confused with Yersinia pestis and Campylobacter jejuni.
Original student-study summary. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and CDC topic pages where applicable; reviewed 2026-06. Educational only; no diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or specimen-handling guidance.