Yersiniosis is an infectious disease of the gastrointestinal tract caused by bacteria of the genus Yersinia other than Y. pestis, with the great majority of human cases attributed to Y. enterocolitica and a small minority to Y. pseudotuberculosis [2]. The causative organisms are zoonotic pathogens that can dwell in livestock, wild animals, pets, fish, and rodents, which may act as asymptomatic carriers excreting the bacteria in faeces [1][2].
Disease overview
BacterialYersiniosis
耶尔森菌病
Evidence-backed informationEN 5/7 applicable sections · ZH 5/7 applicable sectionsUpdated Sep 3, 2026
Yersiniosis is a zoonotic gastrointestinal infection caused by Yersinia enterocolitica and, less frequently, Y. pseudotuberculosis, with animals such as livestock serving as reservoirs that shed the bacteria into the environment [1][2]. Although most infections are self-limiting, young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals may develop more severe disease [2]. The disease is recognized as an important foodborne zoonosis, and notification rates in some countries such as New Zealand are notably high and have been rising [3].
Read the full clinical and epidemiological profile6
Infection with Y. enterocolitica produces a range of symptoms that vary with the age of the affected person; children under five years tend to experience more severe symptoms [2]. Common manifestations include fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea, with older children and adults frequently presenting with right-sided abdominal pain and fever that can mimic appendicitis [2]. Although illness is typically self-limiting, complications such as bowel perforation, toxic megacolon, peritonitis, bacteraemia, erythema nodosum, joint pain, and sepsis can occur, particularly in young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised patients [2].
Yersiniosis is a globally distributed foodborne zoonosis, and WHO estimates indicate that hundreds of millions of foodborne illness cases occur annually, with bacterial pathogens including Y. enterocolitica contributing substantially to this burden [1]. In New Zealand, yersiniosis notification rates are high relative to other developed countries and have been increasing, with over 99% of human cases attributed to Y. enterocolitica; a shift in the predominant strain from biotype 4 to biotype 2/3 serotype O:9 has been observed since around 2012 [3]. Most cases are considered sporadic without an identifiable source, although a large outbreak of 220 cases caused by Y. pseudotuberculosis was recorded in New Zealand in 2014 [3]. Waterborne outbreaks have also been described, particularly where drinking water is sourced from ground or rainwater subject to animal or bird contamination [2].
Y. enterocolitica is most likely transmitted through the foodborne route, with documented associations with the consumption of undercooked pork products, unpasteurised milk, and contaminated water, as well as with the handling of raw chitterlings [3][2]. Asymptomatic animal carriers shed the organism in faeces, contaminating the environment, food production areas, and fresh produce, and pathogens may also persist in biofilms on equipment surfaces [1]. Contaminated water supplies, particularly unregulated ground or rainwater sources in rural settings, represent an additional transmission pathway [2].
Because transmission is predominantly foodborne and zoonotic, prevention depends on a One Health approach that addresses animal reservoirs, food production environments, and water sources [3]. Whole-genome sequencing is being applied to improve epidemiological investigation and to clarify transmission pathways, supporting more targeted interventions [3]. Improved isolation methods for detecting Yersinia spp. in foods and the application of genomic typing are expected to strengthen evidence-based prevention strategies [3].
- 1Chlebicz A et al. Campylobacteriosis, Salmonellosis, Yersiniosis, and Listeriosis as Zoonotic Foodborne Diseases: A Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Apr 26. PMID: 29701663. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15050863.PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29701663/
- 2Wikipedia contributors. Yersiniosis - Wikipedia [Internet]. Wikipedia. cited 4 Sept 2026.Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yersiniosis
- 3Rivas L et al. Yersiniosis in New Zealand. Pathogens. 2021 Feb 10. PMID: 33578727. doi: 10.3390/pathogens10020191.PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33578727/
Coverage
Reporting countries and regions
AustraliaAU
AustriaAT
BelgiumBE
BulgariaBG
CroatiaHR
CyprusCY
CzechiaCZ
DenmarkDK
EstoniaEE
FinlandFI
FranceFR
GermanyDE
GreeceGR
HungaryHU
IcelandIS
IrelandIE
ItalyIT
LatviaLV
LiechtensteinLI
LithuaniaLT
LuxembourgLU
MaltaMT
New ZealandNZ
NorwayNO
PolandPL
PortugalPT
RomaniaRO
SlovakiaSK
SloveniaSI
SpainES
SwedenSE
United KingdomGB
Trends by reporting country
Monthly patterns over time
Data access
Page dataset index with source links and update metadata.
Official sourcesAuthority, cadence, notes45
Austria AGES Radar for Infectious Diseases
Austria
AGES Radar monthly national source. Internal ingestion retains native categories; public release is disabled pending licence review.
Australia NINDSS
Australia
Australian national notifiable diseases surveillance dashboard.
Australia NINDSS — Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Australian Capital Territory, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — New South Wales
New South Wales, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for New South Wales, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Northern Territory
Northern Territory, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Northern Territory, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Queensland
Queensland, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Queensland, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — South Australia
South Australia, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for South Australia, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Tasmania
Tasmania, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Tasmania, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Victoria
Victoria, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Victoria, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Western Australia
Western Australia, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Western Australia, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Belgium Annual Baseline
Belgium
Belgium annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Bulgaria Annual Baseline
Bulgaria
Bulgaria annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
Public Health Ontario IDTO Monthly
Ontario, Canada
Ontario-level current-year preliminary monthly case counts from Public Health Ontario's IDTO report.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Cyprus Annual Baseline
Cyprus
Cyprus annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Czechia Annual Baseline
Czechia
Czechia annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
Germany RKI SurvStat 2.0
Germany
RKI SurvStat national weekly notification export; raw ZIP exports are retained and recent weeks are overwritten for revisions.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Denmark Annual Baseline
Denmark
Denmark annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Estonia Annual Baseline
Estonia
Estonia annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Spain Annual Baseline
Spain
Spain annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
Finland THL Infectious Diseases Register
Finland
Finland THL Infectious Diseases Register national monthly case counts. The current month is ingested as provisional and the latest three months are refreshed for source revisions.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — France Annual Baseline
France
France annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — United Kingdom Annual Baseline
United Kingdom
United Kingdom annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Greece Annual Baseline
Greece
Greece annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Croatia Annual Baseline
Croatia
Croatia annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Hungary Annual Baseline
Hungary
Hungary annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
Ireland HPSC Notifiable Diseases Hub
Ireland
Ireland HPSC national weekly notifiable-disease totals from the official ArcGIS FeatureServer. Internal ingestion is enabled; public release remains disabled pending written redistribution permission.
Iceland Directorate of Health Annual Dashboard
Iceland
National annual case notifications by disease. Published values can be revised retrospectively and remain annual period totals.
Iceland Directorate of Health STI Dashboard
Iceland
Monthly STI diagnosis facts from laboratory and registry surveillance; the official dashboard is published on a quarterly schedule.
Iceland Directorate of Health Respiratory Dashboard
Iceland
ISO-week respiratory diagnosis counts. Hospitalizations, samples, and vaccination indicators are separate measures and are not counted as diagnoses.
Iceland Directorate of Health Historical Registry
Iceland
Historical official registry tables for 1997–2021, with annual totals and disease-specific monthly notification facts retained at source grain.
Iceland Directorate of Health Legacy ICD Monthly
Iceland
Historical Saga EHR ICD encounter counts for 1997–2020. This clinical measure is non-comparable with registry notifications and is kept separate.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Italy Annual Baseline
Italy
Italy annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Liechtenstein Annual Baseline
Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Lithuania Annual Baseline
Lithuania
Lithuania annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Luxembourg Annual Baseline
Luxembourg
Luxembourg annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Latvia Annual Baseline
Latvia
Latvia annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Malta Annual Baseline
Malta
Malta annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
Norway FHI MSIS Statistics Bank
Norway
Norway FHI MSIS national monthly notifications from the official Allvis frontend API; adapter contract checks guard the unversioned endpoint.
New Zealand PHF Science Monthly Notifiable Diseases
New Zealand
PHF Science (formerly ESR) monthly notifiable disease surveillance data via internal globalID2 crawler
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Poland Annual Baseline
Poland
Poland annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Portugal Annual Baseline
Portugal
Portugal annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Romania Annual Baseline
Romania
Romania annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
Sweden Public Health Agency SmiNet
Sweden
Sweden SmiNet national monthly reported cases from the official Public Health Agency statistics pages; public release is enabled with closed-month publication and revisable recent-month refreshes.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Slovenia Annual Baseline
Slovenia
Slovenia annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.
ECDC Surveillance Atlas — Slovakia Annual Baseline
Slovakia
Slovakia annual Member-State reported case counts from the ECDC Surveillance Atlas. Missing topic/year cells remain unknown and published zeroes are preserved. Data provided by ECDC based on data reported by EU/EEA Member States.