Question

What is Enterobacter aerogenes and why is it important in the clinic?

Detailed answer please

Answer 1

Enterobacter aerogenes is a rod shaped gram negative bacilli which can be aerobic or anerobic.Enterobacter belongs to a family of enterobacteracace .It can be normal commensal or Flora of human intestine .but it can be a pathogen to certain people depending upon the immunity status of the person.Enterobacter is a leading pathogen for healthcare associated infection due to its virulence.enterobacter aerogenes is highly virulent bacteria means it can spread infection at a very faster rate.

Enterobacter aerogenes can cause variety of infections like urinary tract infection,wound infection,abdominal infection, respiratory infections.It can occur from patients endogenous source or can be caused from nosocomial source.It is identified by sending the specimen like blood,urine,wound swab,tracheal ,sputum for culture and sensitivity.

Clinical significance

Enterobacter aerogenes is pathogen for healthcare associated infection.so if proper infection control measures like hand hygiene,HAI prevention bundles like CAUTI,VAP,CLABSI,SSI prevention bundle are not used appropriately it can lead to wide spread of infections.A patient can go into sepsis, severe sepsis and cause MODS (multi organ dysfunction syndrome).

Signs and symptoms

Patients with enterobacter Infection will manifest signs of septic or bacteremia patients

Fever,hypotension,cold clammy skin,tachycardia,tachypnea,,cold and clammy skin,hypoxia

management

Antimicrobial therapy: Enterobacter aerogenes are prone for Resistance against beta lactams, cephalosporin so the drug of choice could be any carbapenems like meropenem or collistin .extended penicillin also are resistant to enterobacter .Drug seotran can also be used because it is still not considered as drug of choice so there is increased suseptibility to septran.drugs like collistin and polymixin can also be used as enterobacter aerogenes shows good susceptibility to these drugs

Mechanical ventilation

Sepsis one hour bundle

Vasopressors

Crystalloids.

Prevention :

Prevention of wide spread of enterobacter aerogenes can be achieved by strict infection control mesaures like hand hygiene,following of HAI prevention bundles,isolation precautions because enterobacter spreads by contact so strict contact isolations should be followed for preventing spread .