General Information

Enterobacter species Frequently Asked Questions

What is Enterobacter?

Enterobacter are bacteria that belong to a group of bacteria called the Enterobacteriaceae family.

• General questions about the Enterobacteriaceae family

Species of Enterobacter can be found in the environment and are also part of the normal flora in the human intestinal tract.

Several strains are pathogenic, the most common being Enterobacter cloacae and Enterobacter aerogenes. They cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. The urinary and respiratory tracts are the most common sites of infection. Bacteraemia (blood poisoning) can occur if Enterobacter enter the bloodstream.

How can it be treated? 

If people are carrying the bacteria in their gut (colonisation) but are not infected with it, it is not generally necessary to give treatment.

Enterobacter infections are treated with antibiotics such as fluoroquinolones, carbapenems and cephalosporins; treatment is dependent on the susceptibility of the organism to antibiotics and the site of the infection. 

However, there is concern over the levels of resistance of this bacteria to a number of antibiotics.

Which antibiotics are these infections resistant to?

Ceftazidime and cefotaxime resistances appear to have increased in Enterobacter spp between 2000 and 2005.