The most troublesome organism in this group is Escherichia coli. Other enterobacteria are species of Salmonella, Shigella, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Serratia, Proteus, and Yersinia. 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. In many cases these infections are nosocomial, which means that they can be acquired in the hospital. Klebsiella and Proteus sometimes cause pneumonia , ear and sinus infections, and urinary tract infections.
Diarrhea caused by enterobacteria is a common problem in the United States.
It is estimated that each person in the general population has an average of 1.5 episodes of diarrhea each year, with higher rates in children, institutionalized people, and Native Americans. This type of enterobacterial infection can range from a minor nuisance to a life-threatening disorder, especially in infants, elderly persons, AIDS patients, and malnourished people. Enterobacterial infections are one of the two leading killers of children in developing countries. They may be bacteria that are already present in the stomach and intestines, or they may be transmitted by contaminated food and water. Escherichia coli E. coli infections cause most of the enterobacterial infections in the United States.