Characterization of Yersinia enterocolitica sensu stricto

The species Yersinia enterocolitica is defined sensu stricto on the bases of biochemical and other phenotypic characteristics. Biochemically, Y. enterocolitica contains five major biotypes: 1 through 4 of Niléhn and of Wauters, and the trehalose-negative, metabolically inactive, socalled hare strains in biotype 5 of Niléhn and of Wauters, and biochemically atypical strains, including urease-negative, Simmons' citrate-positive, and lactose-and raffinose-positive strains. Y. enterocolitica sensu stricto was distinguishable from the newly described species Yersinia kristensenii by sucrose and Voges-Proskauer reactions (negative in Y. kristensenii). These species were previously separated by DNA relatedness. Y. enterocolitica was also separable biochemically and by DNA relatedness from the two newly proposed rhamnose-positive species, Yersinia intermedia and Yersinia frederiksenii. Strain 161(=CIP 80-27=ATCC 9610) is proposed as the neotype for Y. enterocolitica.