Yersinia species including Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis,
and Yersinia pestis are closely related species which
can cause illness in humans.Of those 3,
Y. pestis is the causative agent of plague and can cause pharyngeal
or gastrointestinal infection through the handling or consumption
of meat products.The risk, and the associated
morbidity and mortality, of contracting plague through the consumption
or handling of foods deliberately contaminated with
Y. pestis are currently unknown. Because Y. pestis is listed as a select
agent for both food safety and food defense