Conventionally pathogenic enterobacteria - what is it? Diseases caused by enterobacteria

In the modern world, being healthy is not only a necessity, it's fashionable and stylish, it means being in a trend. That is why an increasing number of citizens try to lead a healthy lifestyle, instill appropriate habits for their children and regularly monitor their body's condition, passing various examinations. In this article, the concept of "pathogenic enterobacteria" will be considered and what it is.

Ancient inhabitants of the planet

Bacteria appeared on our planet more than three and a half billion years ago. They survived two glacial periods in the history of the planet and continue to evolve successfully today. Classification has more than a million species of bacteria, living almost everywhere. They are divided into many different groups, but the most interesting enterobacteria for us. What it is, easy to explain - these are our neighbors who share our body and food with us.

Enterobacter family

Representatives of a huge family Enterobakteriaceae live both in the environment, and in the body of animals and humans. In the context of this article, consider the genus enterobacter( pathogenic enterobacteria and opportunistic pathogens), which includes 15 species of bacteria. These living beings belong to facultative anaerobes( can do without oxygen) and are considered colimorphous( the environment for enterobacteria is the lower parts of the gastrointestinal tract of all warm-blooded animals and humans).

Features of the structure and life of the

In appearance, they are sticks with flagella, which serve to move the bacteria. These proteobacteria do not form a dispute and multiply by simple division. In the soil and in the aquatic environment, they have been able to remain viable for many months. From disinfectants they die within a few minutes, and at high temperatures - within an hour. Conditionally pathogenic enterobacteria are natural inhabitants of the intestines of animals. They play an important role in the formative fermentation of food. But among them there are pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic for a person representatives. All of them are gram-negative enterobacteria. What it is, will be discussed further.

Method of differential coloring

All of us are far from medicine, but a little specifying knowledge will not hurt. In the distant 1884 in Berlin, a subject of the Danish kingdom, bacteriologist Hans Christian Joachim Gramm proposed a method for differential coloring of enterobacteria in a smear. And today the whole world of microbiology uses this method, based on the ability of organisms to stain or not to stain with special substances in certain environments. This means that Gram-negative enterobacteria are not stained with crystal violet with Gram staining, unlike gram-positive ones.

When is the norm becoming a pathology?

As mentioned above, the majority of representatives of this family are included in the normal microflora of various parts of the gastrointestinal tract of warm-blooded animals and humans. For example, in the small intestine of a healthy person is determined from 0 to 103 cfu / ml enterobacteria, and in the ileum their number is many times greater - from 102 to 106 cfu / ml.

The conditions for the transition to pathogenicity and provocation of diseases is a change in the quantitative composition of the microflora with a predominance of increasing the number of specific enterobacteria against the background of a decrease in immunity and barrier functions of tissues.

Pathogenicity factors of enterobacteria

What this is will become clear after listing those toxins or poisons that directly affect the development of the disease, namely:

• Endotoxins are poisons that are released after the destruction of the bacteria themselves.
• Cytotoxins are substances that secrete bacteria in the course of their vital activity, they destroy the membranes of other cells( antibodies).
• Exotoxins are substances that are released during the metabolism of living bacteria.

Diseases related to enterobacteria

Conditionally pathogenic enterobacteria are part of the normal microflora of the human gastrointestinal tract, but the slightest shift in environmental factors or a decrease in the protective properties of the mucous membranes, a decrease in immunity or the death of normal microflora with antibiotics may cause infections notonly the stomach and intestines, but also other organs. Bacteria can affect the following systems of human organs:

• excretory system( cystitis and pyelonephritis);
• urinary tract( urethritis, cystitis);
• genital system( vaginitis, trichimosis);
• respiratory system( pneumonia);
• digestive system( colibacteriosis caused by the reproduction of opportunistic bacteria).

The different degree and forms of all these diseases are due to the aggressiveness of bacterial toxins. Than toxins are more aggressive towards the environment, the more serious the disease is.

Conditionally pathogenic E. coli

As an example of conditional pathogenicity, which turns into proper pathogenicity, we consider the vital activity of Escherichia coli, that is, Escherichia coli. Normally, it is present in the gastrointestinal tract and performs a secretory function, it helps in the formation of colicins and immunoglobulins, necessary for inhibiting the growth of pathogenic organisms. The E. coli takes part in the synthesis of vitamin K, responsible for clotting of blood. But with the development of pathogenic strains, E. coli affects the mucous membranes of the stomach, penetrates the blood, gall bladder, urinary tract, skin and even into the lungs.

The conditions for the transition to pathogenicity can become excessive reproduction of bacteria against the background of a decrease in immunity, which often happens in medical institutions with insufficient sanitary control. Here so conditionally-pathogenic Escherichia coli can become the dangerous originator of disease.

Lactose-negative enterobacteria

This group has a particularly strong effect on digestion in children. This is a group of conditionally pathogenic organisms that cause a burp, pressure and heartburn in newborns and young children. The acceptable figures of presence in the smear are up to 106 cfu / ml. The intestinal microflora of the newborn is still being formed, and the use of probiotic preparations containing live lactobacilli and bifidobacteria drugs during this period significantly contributes to normal digestion and the displacement from microflora of precisely such organisms as lactose-negative enterobacteria.

Treatment of diseases

In order to confirm or, conversely, to disprove diagnosis of enterobacterial infection, doctors often rely on the patient's medical history, physical examination and laboratory tests. Antibiotics are used to treat enterobacteria. Their choice depends on the location of the infection and the results of the tests. The correct diagnosis and selection of drugs can only be done by a qualified specialist. Do not experiment with your body, it is better to take tests and get timely and adequate medical care.

Prevention of enterobacterial diseases

The most important thing is to observe the rules of personal hygiene. It is also necessary to monitor the purity of natural products and wash them thoroughly. It is important to avoid contact with infected patients and not to get to the site of infection. Maintaining immunity and taking care of the normal microflora of your gastrointestinal tract will help maintain vigor and normal functioning.

If you still have recovered, it is very important to fix the composition of normal microflora, to support the pancreas and liver, as well as the intestines. The variety of products and preparations with living and beneficial lacto- and bifidobacteria allows each to do this.