Researcher Information
Medeiros James
jamesmedeiros@hsph.harvard.edu (12) 345-6789
The information provided below is for MIT researchers' use and is subject to change by EHS. For our legal disclaimer please see - http://ehs.mit.edu/site/content/legal-disclaimer
Agent Characteristics
Enterobacter spp.
Bacteria
Yes          
Anaerobic Gram-negative bacteria. 80% of the Enterobacter are encapsulated.   Enterobacter species are widely distributed in the environment and are also  found in the gut of humans and animal
Humans, plants, animals
Cut/ Needlestick / Non-intact skinIngestionMucous Membranes
Infectious dose: Unknown, however, approximately 1000 cells have been considered infectious. Incubation time: Unknown.
Health Hazards
Enterobacter infections have an extensive range of clinical manifestations.  These can include bacteremia (blood infection), lower respiratory tract (lung) infection, skin and soft-tissue infections, urinary tract infection (UTIs), endocarditis (heart), intra-abdominal infections, septic (joint) arthritis, osteomyelitis (bone), CNS (brain/spinal cord) infections and ophthalmic (eye) infections.  Enterobacter species are known for causing many nosocomial (hospital) acquired infections and antibiotic resistance is often a concern.
None available
None available
Antibiotics are the mainstay of therapy along with supportive care. Enterobacter antibiotic resistance is a growing issue and will factor into selection of antimicrobial regimen
Containment
BSL 1 or BSL 2
ABSL1 or ABSL2
Viability
10% household bleach (~0.5% sodium hypochlorite)70% ethanolActivated hydrogen peroxide (PREempt, Rescue)Quaternary ammonia (Quatricide, sklar, Lysol spray, etc.)Phenolic (Vesphene II)hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid (Peridox)Fresh 2% glutaraldehyde (Gluterate / CIDEX)
No specific information for Enterobacter but other vegetative bacteria are susceptible to autoclaving at 121°C  for 30 minutes and dry heat (160-170 °C for 1-2 hours)
Commonly found in  soil, water, and sewage
PPE/Containment
Wear gloves, lab coat, and appropriate lab attire (pants/long dress, closed toed shoes); eye protection, e.g. safety glasses, safety goggles recommended for liquids.
Spill Procedures
Notify others working in the lab.  Allow aerosols to settle. Don appropriate PPE.  Cover area of the spill with paper towels and apply an EPA approved disinfectant, working from the perimeter towards the center.  Allow 10 minutes of contact time. Cleanup spill materials and dispose as biowaste. Surface disinfect 5-10 minutes. Remove PPE and wash hands.
For large volume spills or biological spills in a public area, contact MIT's Biosafety Program or the EHS office (617-452-3477) during normal business hours.  If the spill occurs after hours or on weekends, activate the EHS ON CALL system by dialing Operations 3-4948 (617-253-4948) or MIT Police by dialing 100 from a campus phone or 617-253-1212 from a mobile phone.
Exposure Procedures
Flush eyes, mouth, or nose for 15 minutes at eyewash station.
Wash area with soap and water and rinse/scrub for 5-10 minutes.
Immediately report incident to supervisor, PI, or EHS Representative. PI/supervisor must submit incident report in Atlas within 24 hours.
Medical Follow-up
9:00am-4:00pm, weekdays:
contact MIT Occupational Health:
Phone: 617-253-8552
Address: 25 Carleton Street, Building E23, Cambridge, MA 02142
website		 8:00am-8:00pm, weekdays
10:00am-4:00pm, weekends
MIT Health Urgent Care
phone: 617-253-1311
address: 25 Carleton Street, Building E23, Cambridge, MA 02142
Or call MIT Police 617-253-1212		 Emergencies:
Call 100 from a campus phone or
617-253-1212 from a mobile phone
Additional comments
References
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559296/
2.https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/216845-overview
3.http://www.antimicrobe.org/b97.asp#t7
4.https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/laboratory-biosafety-biosecurity/pathogen-safety-data-sheets-risk-assessment/enterobacter.html
10-14-2022
MMM: updated disinfectants
Created on Sept.  9, 2021 at  8:02 PM (EDT). Last updated by Zhong, Lu on Nov. 19, 2025 at  5:27 PM (EST). Owned by Zhong, Lu.
Lu Zhong
Lu Zhong
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