Yersiniosis and fish consumption

Foodborne diseases are considered a serious public health problem worldwide due to their incidence and mortality. The increase in the appearance of those diseases with their negative effects is contributed to the changes in society's eating habits, globalization of the production, and food marketing. Food safety is currently a fundamental characteristic in the production and availability of food, being therefore indicated as the guarantee that will not harm the consumer’s health. Fish is considered a nutritious and globally marketed food and its processing and consumption occur in different forms and presentations (whole, whole gutted, fillet, fermented, canned, salted, cooked, smoked, raw, among others). Fish, due to its chemical composition and the hygienic conditions to which it is subjected during its production, handling, processing and conservation, is highly susceptible to be contaminated and hence, deteriorated by various microorganisms. Some of these are food pathogens as Yersinia enterocolitica, which is identified as a causal agent of the zoonosis called yersiniosis that may put the health of consumers at risk. The objective of this review is to provide general information on foodborne diseases, especially those whose causative agent is Yersinia enterocolitica through the consumption of fish. Characteristics of the pathogen, aspects of control, and prevention of food contamination are presented, including microbiological analysis and sanitary regulation in different parts of the world. Additionally, reference is made to aspects of the phenomenon of antimicrobial resistance and the danger for public health.