Home > Encyclopedia of Children's Health > Enterobacterial Infections

Definition

Enterobacterial infections are disorders of the digestive tract and other organ systems produced by a group of rod-shaped bacteria called Enterobacteriaceae.

Description

Enterobacterial infections can be produced by bacteria that normally live in the human digestive tract without causing serious disease or by bacteria that enter from the outside. The most troublesome organism in this group is Escherichia coli. Other examples of enterobacteria are species of Salmonella, Shigella, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Serratia, Proteus, and Yersinia.

Transmission

Enterobacterial infections in the digestive tract typically start when the organisms invade the...