PUTATIVE ORIGIN OF YERSINIA-PSEUDOTUBERCULOSIS IN WESTERN AND EASTERN-COUNTRIES - A COMPARISON OF RESTRICTION-ENDONUCLEASE ANALYSIS OF VIRULENCE PLASMIDS

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis isolates from Russia east of Moscow, Korea and mainland China were used for restriction endonuclease analysis of virulence plasmid (REAP) and findings were compared with REAP of isol ates from Japan and Western countries. An identical REAP pattern of ea ch serogroup 1a, 1b, 3, 4a and 4b strain was observed among isolates f rom Russia, Korea, mainland China, and Japan but such was absent in We st European strains. Therefore, the possibility that the origin of Y. pseudotuberculosis between West Europe and eastern Eurasia east of Mos cow may be from a different clone should be considered.