Like many bad bugs considered in the Hompes Method, Yersinia is a very interesting one. It doesn’t just cause digestive problems. Instead, it’s implicated in thyroid issues and arthritis, even when digestive symptoms aren’t experienced.
There are about ten or eleven species of Yersinia bacteria, of which it’s believed only four are pathogenic (symptom or disease-causing).
Of these four species, it’s believed that two have the ability to cause digestive problems. They’re called Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis.
Yersinia species are not considered to be part of the normal mix of bugs in your digestive system. Thus, when it’s detected in a stool test, it’s prudent to consider it as an invader that may be contributing to symptoms.
These bacteria can enter your body via the fecal-oral route, i.e. when you eat food that’s been contaminated by faeces.
According to the FDA’s Bad Bug Book:
“Both of these gastroenteritis-causing species have been isolated from animals, such as pigs, birds, beavers, cats, and dogs, and, in the case of Y. enterocolitica, frogs, flies, and fleas. Y. enterocolitica has been detected in environmental sources, such as soil and water (e.g., ponds and lakes). Most isolates are not pathogenic.”
Given this information, it’s worth suggesting that Yersinia might be passed from pets to humans. A pet cat or dog licks its bottom, then its paw, which it uses to wash its head. Hey presto, you have bacteria on the animal’s head when you pet it. Then you forget to wash your hands and you’ve just increased your risk of acquiring a bacterial invader.
Yersinia can persist in food for a long time and is able to survive being frozen and again, according to the FDA:
“Y. enterocolitica can grow easily at refrigeration temperature in vacuum-packed meat, boiled eggs, boiled fish, pasteurized liquid eggs, pasteurized whole milk, cottage cheese, and tofu. Growth of the microorganism also occurs in refrigerated seafood – oysters, raw shrimp, and cooked crab meat.”
Without appropriate tests, it’s impossible to distinguish Yersinia symptoms from those caused by other gastrointestinal microbes. Digestive symptoms can include:
- Diarrhoea
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Bloating
- Gas
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sore throat
- Headache
One of the problems with Yersinia infestations is that unless you have these acute symptoms, doctors tend not to consider the possibility that you have a gastroinstinal infection.
But in our experience, these bad bugs can hang around for a long time and cause minor to moderate symptoms that are often passed off as “irritable bowels” or worse, as a normal part of life.
Yersinia can also cause problems by infecting wounds and is also a known urinary tract pathogen. Symptoms of urinary tract infections include:
- Kidney pain
- Frequent urination
- Pain on urination
- Vaginitis
- Prostatitis
- Blood in the urine
As mentioned right at the top of this article, Yersinia has been heavily implicated in causing a chain reaction of events in the body that may lead to autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, Grave’s disease and Hashimoto’s thyroid disease.
The link between Yersinia and these conditions is even mentioned in in the FDA literature (which is very surprising):
“These sequelae include reactive arthritis; glomerulonephritis; endocarditis; erythema nodosum (which occurs predominantly in women); uveitis; thyroid disorders, such as Graves’ disease; hyperthyroidism; nontoxic goiter; and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Y. enterocolitica has been associated with reactive arthritis, which may occur even in the absence of obvious symptoms.”
Another unexpected pearl in the FDA’s information is the fact that they acknowledge low stomach acid as reason why people might be infected more easily:
“Gastric acid is a significant barrier to infection.”
With all chronic bad bug problems, it’s usually a case of your digestive environment falling out of balance, which then allows the bad bugs to get in.
Stress, bad foods, bad toxins, nutrient deficiencies, alcohol, lack of sleep, over or under-exercise and other factors can significantly affect your digestive function and immunity.
Low stomach acid, low pancreatic enzyme and bile levels, reduced levels of good bugs and low level of immune function predispose your digestive system and open it up to a host of different bad bugs.
Getting Yourself Tested
If you’ve found this article because you’re experiencing certain symptoms and you’re looking for reasons for those symptoms, I recommend you either arrange a consultation with a Hompes Method practitioner or order a comprehensive digestive health check-up package.