耶尔森氏菌属的三种菌已被确认是能够引起人类及动物疾病的致病菌。小肠结肠炎耶尔森氏菌和假结核耶尔森氏菌都是人类胃肠道疾病的致病因子,而鼠疫耶尔森氏菌是鼠疫的致病因子。尽管侵袭性致病作用的机理还不太清楚,但现已知道这三种耶尔森氏菌都具有由一组相关质粒编码的毒力决定因 Three strains of Yersinia have been identified as pathogenic bacteria that cause disease in humans and animals. Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis are both causative agents of human gastrointestinal diseases, while Yersinia pestis is a causative agent of plague. Although the mechanism of the aggressive pathogenicity is not well understood, it is now known that all three Yersinia species have a virulence determinant encoded by a group of related plasmids