Bacterial shock due to transfusion with Yersinia enterocolitica infected blood.

A fatal case (a 55-yr-old man) of bacterial shock and sepsis following a transfusion with erythrocytes infected with Yersinia enterocolitica serotype 03, is reported. The blood donor had slight diarrhea 6 days before the blood donation. A serum sample from the donor showed high titre of both IgG and IgM antibodies against Y. enterocolitica 03, indicating a recent infection. Y. enterocolitica 03 was isolated from blood cultures from the patient. The remaining portion of the transfused erythrocyte concentrate also yielded abundant growth of the same organism on direct plating of the material on blood agar indicating that profuse multiplication of the organism had occurred within the transfusion bag during storage at 4 degrees C.