Rôle épidémiologique éventuel des animaux domestiques dans l'infection humaine à Yersinia enterocolitica. A propos d'une observation

A Yersinia enterocolitica strain (chimiotype 4, serotype 0 : 3, phagotype VIII) was isolated from the stools of a child during a typical gastroenteritis. A complete bacteriological investigation was accomplished in the neighbourhood of the child, which resulted in the isolation of a second, but different, strain of Y. enterocolitica (chimiotype 1, serotype 0 : 6, phagotype Xz) from the stools of the child's dog. The eventual contamination of the child by his healthy dog is discussed with references to the actual knowledges in Yersinia enterocolitica epidemiology and to the host specificity suspected for the different chimiotypes, serotypes and phagotypes.