Ecology and geographic distribution of Yersinia enterocolitica among livestock and wildlife in China

[Display omitted] •The prevalence of Y. enterocolitica varies in different animal species and regions.•The highest prevalence is from pigs, dogs, and majority isolates were pathogenic.•The elevation, precipitation and air temperature are associated with Y. enterocolitica in animals.•Novel Y. enterocolitica was isolated from Microtus fuscus on plague foci.•Identical PFGE pattern from animals and patients suggested the source of infection. The results in this study show the prevalence of Yersinia enterocolitica varies in different animal species and regions of China. The highest prevalence is among pigs (12.91%), followed by dogs (9.80%), Ochotona curzoniae (plateau pica) (6.76%), chickens (4.50%), rodents (3.40%), cattle (2.78%) and sheep (0.89%). Pathogenic isolates comprised the majority of the Y. enterocolitica recovered from pigs (73.50%) and dogs (59.44%); whereas the nonpathogenic Y. enterocolitica made up most of poultry and wildlife recovered strains. A correlation analysis comparing the prevalence and geographic factors showed the isolation rate of Y. enterocolitica in pigs and dogs was negatively correlated with elevation (r=−0.50, P