Enterobacteriaceae

Enterobacteriaceae (pronunciation: en·ter·o·bac·te·ri·a·ce·ae) is a large family of Gram-negative bacteria that includes, along with many harmless symbionts, many of the more familiar pathogens, such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Yersinia pestis, Klebsiella and Shigella.

Etymology

The name Enterobacteriaceae is derived from the Greek words "entero" meaning intestine, and "bacterium" meaning rod, referring to the rod-shaped morphology of these bacteria. The suffix "-aceae" is a standard ending in biological taxonomy that denotes a family.

Characteristics

Members of the Enterobacteriaceae are rod-shaped, and are typically 1-5 micrometers in length. They appear as small, grey colonies when grown on a solid medium. Enterobacteriaceae are facultatively anaerobic, meaning they can grow in both oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor environments. They are also capable of fermenting sugars to produce lactic acid, which can be used as an energy source.

Pathogenesis

Many members of the Enterobacteriaceae family are pathogenic, causing diseases ranging from food poisoning and urinary tract infections to bubonic plague and typhoid fever. Pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae typically have virulence factors such as adhesins, invasins, and toxins that allow them to colonize and damage host tissues.

Treatment

Treatment of infections caused by Enterobacteriaceae involves the use of antibiotics. However, many Enterobacteriaceae have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics, making treatment more difficult.

Related Terms

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Enterobacteriaceae
Wikipedia's article - Enterobacteriaceae

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Enterobacteriaceae