Construction of Urease-Negative Mutants of Yersinia enterocolitica Serotypes O:3 and O:8: Role of Urease in Virulence and Arthritogenicity

Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O:3 and O:8 urease-negative mutants unable to express the 19-kDa β subunit of urease were constructed and tested for virulence and arthritogenicity. Our results indicate that urease is needed for full virulence in oral infections and that it is not an arthritogenic factor in the rat model.