Posted by elam2 | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on April 25, 2019
To understand more about Enterobacter aerogenes, we must go back in time to know more about it. As stated from the previous posts that this species is a bacterium of the family Enterobacteriacease. The first original name was Aerobacter aerogenes which later was involved in the genus Enterobacter in 1960. A decade later, was renamed to Klebsiella mobilis because of its motility by peritrichous flagella and it was associated with its genetics similarities to Klebsiella genus. After multiple studies on whole-genome sequencing of a multidrug-resistant clinical isolate which then concluded the scientific name as Enterobacter aerogenes. Five years after the name changed it was first announced that this bacterium caused a nationwide outbreak of hospital-acquired infections in Europe but mostly in France. It occurred by the process of septicemia where the bacteria enter the blood and caused severe infections in 378 patients at 25 hospitals (Georghiou et al. 1995). Which is now referred to as important multi-resistant bacterial pathogens for humans since the late 18th century and three decades after it. The family Enterobacter is listed as the eight most common pathogen in the United States that is associated with healthcare infections. (Hidron et al. 2008)
E. aerogenes can be found in human and environmental settings such as wastes, chemicals, soil, and water. It is mostly found in the human gastrointestinal tract but does not harm healthy individuals. It causes infections from specific antibiotics treatment, cross-contamination of needle insertion into a peripheral vein and/or surgical procedures. Further studies concluded that E. aerogenes are capable to survive on stainless steel which involves the tools in treatments. As E. aerogenes continue to increase it led to causing major damage in healthcare facilities (CDC, 2008). According to the CDC, $45 billion is spent on treatment also a statistical data of approximately 100,000 Americans die each year from the infections of E. aerogenes. The type of infections that are caused by E. aerogenes is urinary tract infections (UTIs), gastrointestinal infections, respiratory infections, adult meningitis and skin, and soft tissue infections. The best way to get rid of the infection is to have proactive prevention practices like good hygiene. There are some antibiotics that may be susceptible to E. aerogenes. So overall, let us be safe and healthy to avoid these dangerous species.
References:
Georghiou, P. R., Hamill, R. J., Wright, C. E., Versalovic, J., Koeuth, T. T., and Lupski, J. R. (1995). Molecular epidemiology of infections due to Enterobacter aerogenes: identification of hospital outbreak-associated strains by molecular techniques. Clin. Infect. Dis. 20, 84–94. doi: 10.1093/clinids/20.1.84
Hidron AI, Edwards JR, Patel J, Horan TC, Sievert DM, Pollock DA, Fridkin SK. NHSN annual update: antimicrobial-resistant pathogens associated with healthcare-associated infections: annual summary of data reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006–2007. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2008;29:996–1011. doi: 10.1086/591861.
E. aerogenes is a fun and interesting microbe to study. Reading through your blog taught me that this microbe is both helpful and harmful, and it only raised my awareness on how important antibiotic treatment is. Specific antibiotic treatment cause transform E. aerogenes to be harmful, which deserves a lot of attention when medical professionals prescribes specific antibiotics. Considering that 100,000 Americans die each year from a E. aerogenes infection, learning what causes E. aerogenes to become infectious is crucial.