Enteric Bacteria

Enteric bacteria are a type of bacteria that normally inhabit the intestines of mammals, birds, and reptiles. They play an important role in the maintenance of health in their hosts, by helping to maintain the balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome and aiding in digestion of food. The presence of certain enteric bacteria can also indicate the presence of intestinal disease in humans, so they are important to the diagnosis and treatment of such diseases. In addition, enteric bacteria are used widely in the food industry to help prevent food spoilage and the growth of pathogenic microbes.