Production of enterotoxin by Yersinia bercovieri, a recently identified Yersinia enterocolitica-like species

Yersinia bercovieri, a recently identified Y. enterocolitica-like species, produces a heat-stable enterotoxin (designated YbST) which has biologic act ivity in infant mice and increases short circuit current in Ussing chambers . Although YbST has some properties in common with the heat-stable enteroto xins of Y. enterocolitica (YST I and YST II), it appears to be a novel toxi n because (i) it was not neutralized by anti-YST I antiserum, (ii) YbST-neu tralizing antiserum did not neutralize YST I, and (iii) Y. bercovieri strai ns did not hybridize with genetic probes for yst I, yst II, and other known enterotoxins.