Background: We presented three cases of enterocolitis due to Yersinia enterocolitica 0:8.
Methods: We use common isolation media, pathogenicity markers and plasmid analysis.
Results: The study of genetic and biochemical characteristics of the strains showed that they belonged to 1B biotype, 0:8 serotype, and that they not carry the virulence plasmid. However, they have pathogenicity markers that were considered typical of highly virulent strains.
Summary: This are the first isolations of this particular serotype in Spain and they showed, as it happens in other European countries, the spread of serotype 0:8 around the world.