Chapter 20, Problem 1VI

Summary Introduction

To label:

The parts of a typical enteric bacterium.

Introduction:

Enteric bacteria, belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae are rod shaped or intermediate between rod and round shapes, ranging between 0.5 µm and 1.2 µm in size. These are found in the intestines of humans and animals, and can be pathogenic All of them can covert nitrate to nitrite, and can ferment glucose. They have an outer membrane containing lipooligosaccharides, composed of Lipid A, sugar molecules and polysaccharides, which together helps the bacterium to infect host cell and also provide antigenic properties. Enteric bacteria have certain factors that affect virulence such as capsules, fimbriae, exotoxins, iron binding compounds, hemolysin and a type III secretion system.