MYCOTIC AORTIC-ANEURYSMS DUE TO YERSINIA- ENTEROCOLITICA - 3 NEW CASES AND A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

We report three cases of mycotic aortic aneurysms due to Yersinia ente rocolitica. In all cases, serogroups are 0:9. The three patients more than 70 year-old men with immunodeficiency underlying conditions allow ing bacterial graft (neoplasia, diabete mellitus, dysimmunitary syndro me, hematologic diseases). The six cases of the literature were clinic ally, biologically and epidemiologically similar. The strains of Y ent erocolitica responsible for septicemia are especially serogroups 0:9. This is probably due to particular virulence factors in this serogroup (phagocytosis resistance gene : yopH, ypkA et yop E) (yop: Yersinia o uter membran proteins). The presence of a pYV plasmid (plasmid yersini a virulence), found in Yersinia pathogen strains, lead to bacterial pr oliferation in the tissues. The authors discuss pathophysiological mec hanisms involved in arterial bacterial graft following an Y. enterocol itica infection.