[Frequency and significance of infections due to Yersinia enterocolitica in "acute appendicitis" (author's transl)].

In 352 patients who were hospitalized with symptoms of an acute appendicitis, Yersinia infection were determined in 18.2% of the cases by cultural and serological methods. Infections due to Y. enterocolitica (Y. e.) serovar 0:3 were approximately 6 times more frequent than those due to Y. e. serovar 0:9. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (Y. pstbc.) could only be isolated in one patient from a mesenterial lymph node. In another case Yersinia serovar 0:6 could be isolated as well as Y. e. serovar 0:3. The majority of the infections were found in the age group 9-12 years. The incidence was highest in the summer months June-August.