Study reveals how antibiotic-resistant Enterobacter hides in human cells

A groundbreaking study [1] has uncovered how the antibiotic-resistant bacteria Enterobacter can evade the immune system by hiding within human cells. This new research, published today in the Journal of Infection Diseases, reveals that Enterobacter species can remain dormant inside macrophages - key white blood cells that typically serve as the body's first line of defence against infections - without triggering any immune response.

By avoiding detection, Enterobacter can survive despite the use of antibiotics, making infections difficult to treat. The findings highlight how Enterobacter infections, which can cause severe conditions such as urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and septicemia, continue to pose a serious threat to public health, even with appropriate treatment.

The study, conducted by the Valvano Lab Research Team at Queen’s University Belfast, was led by Professor Miguel A. Valvano, Chair in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, along with Dr Georgiana Parau, Ms Hannah Parks, Ms Amy Anderson, and Dr Inmaculada Garcia-Romero. Professor Valvano explained: “This research fills a crucial gap in our understanding of how Enterobacter species evade the immune system. The ability to persist inside macrophages means that these bacteria can evade both antibiotics and the body’s natural defences.”

The breakthrough could lead to new treatment strategies that target intracellular bacteria more effectively, potentially reducing the mortality rate associated with these infections.

The research was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

More information online

1. Clinical Isolates of Antimicrobial-Resistant Enterobacter Species Can Persist in Human Macrophages Without Replication and Overt Cellular Cytotoxicity published in The Journal of Infection Diseases