2011 Georgia data summary: Yersiniosis [Nov. 2013]

ia Data Summa

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Yersiniosis Quick Fact: Y. Enterocolitica is often transmitted by consumption or handling of raw or undercooked pork products.

OVERVIEW

Figure 1.

Yersiniosis is a zoonotic bacterial infection that generally affects the intestinal tract and occasionally the bloodstream . On average , 40 cases occur in Georgia each year. Most cases occur during the winter holiday season and are often infants and young children .
Mode of Transmission : Yersinia spp. is usually transmitted via consumption of undercooked or raw pork products.
Other common vehicles include raw milk, contaminated water, and contact with infected animals .
Poor hand washing and environmental cleaning after handling raw pork, particularly chitterlings, may result in the infection of infants and small children.
Fecal-oral transmission from person to person is rare but may also occur.
SURVEILLANCE
All Georgia physicians, laboratories and other health care providers are required by law to report both labconfirmed and clinical diagnoses of cases of Yersiniosis to the Georgia Department of Public Health .
Cultures should be sent to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory for confirmation and serotype determination .

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DEMOGRAPHICS
In 2011 , 36% of cases were Black, 52% of cases were White , and 3% of cases were Asian (Figure 2). 6% of cases were of Hispanic ethnicity.
Frequency of Yersinia infections is highest among infants and young children , followed by elderly individuals (Figure 3) .
Figure 2.

2011 Ye rsiniosis Cases by Race

Active Surveillance for Yersiniois conducted through FoodNet a component of the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) . For more information , please visit: );> http://dph .georgia.gov/EIP );> http://www.cdc.gov/foodneU

INCIDENCE
In 2011 , 32 cases of Yersinia were reported , for a rate of 0.33/100,000 (Figure 1). The incidence of Yersinia in Georgia has remained stable over time with the exception of a 2005 decrease. This decrease occurred the same year as the launch of the Safer Chitterling Preparation Educational Campaign .

Georgia Department of Public Health- 2 Peachtree Street, NW- Atlanta, GA 30303- (404) 657-2588- http://dph.georgia.gov

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Figure 3.
2011 Yersiniosis Cases by Age Group and Gender

Hand Washing Encourage careful hand washing before and after food preparation and contact with animals.

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IMPACT OF YERSINIOSIS Hospitalizations & Deaths
Of the 32 reported cases of Yersiniosis in 2011 , 22% were hospitalized , while an additional 31 % were seen in the emergency room ; no Yersiniosis cases died .

Safer Chitterling Preparation Campaign In 2011 , 3 cases (9%) reported contact with or consumption of raw pork or chitterlings. These cases included one adult and two infants.
The Georgia Division of Public Health developed educational posters and brochures in 2005 to promote safe handling of chitterlings .
Put raw un-cleaned chitterlings directly from the container into boiling water for 5 minutes to kill germs .
Wash your hands after you touch raw chitterlings and BEFORE you touch anything or anyone else.
Clean everything in the kitchen that raw chitterlings may have touched.
After boiling chitterlings , wash hands clean surfaces, and clean your kitchen
Cook cleaned chitterlings as usual and enjoy.

PREVENTION AND SPECIAL PROJECTS

Special Projects

Food Preparation Tips 1. Always treat raw poultry. beef and pork as if they are contaminated and handle accordingly:
Wrap fresh meats in plastic bags at the market to prevent blood from dripping on other foods .
Refrigerate foods promptly; minimize holding time at room temperature.
Cutting boards and counters used for meat preparation should be washed immediately after use to prevent cross contamination with other foods.
Avoid eating raw or undercooked meats. Ensure that the correct internal cooking temperature is
reached , particularly when using a microwave. 2. Avoid consuming raw (unpasteurized) milk or products made with it (like cheese).

Monitoring trends in Yersiniosis Epidemiology over time
Evaluating the impact of the Safer Chitterling Preparation Campaign on Yersiniosis epidemiology

For more information, visit: www.foodsafety.gov

Date updated: November 2013 Visit http://dph .georgia .gov/epidemiology for more information about Yersiniosis in Georgia
Georgia Department of Pubt1c Health- 2 Peachtree Street, NW- Atlanta, GA 30303 - (404) 657-2588- http://dph.georgia.gov