Yersinia enterocolitica

Record number:

1044

Adverse Occurrence type:

Yersinia

MPHO Type:

Red blood cells

Estimated frequency:

1/500,000 - 1/24M.

Time to detection:

Less than 3 hours

Alerting signals, symptoms, evidence of occurrence:

Review article on 55 published cases of Yersinia post-transfusion sepsis, almost all associated with RBCs (one platelet associated). Symptoms, usually of sudden onset, started during or at the end of transfusion of the contaminated unit in 41 cases (79%). Symptoms included fever, rigors (together they were noted in 90% of the cases), and hypotension. Although fever and hypotension were sometimes delayed, rigors, digestive symptoms, chest and/or back pain, and cutaneous symptoms were described as alerting symptoms.

Demonstration of imputability or root cause:

Y. enterocolitica was isolated from all blood bags subjected to culture but only once from the attached tubing.

Imputability grade:

3 Definite/Certain/Proven

Keywords:

Yersinia enterocolitica