肠杆菌属是一种革兰氏阴性菌、兼性厌氧生物及呈棒状的细菌，属于肠杆菌科。这个属下的其个种都是病原及使宿主免疫受损的机会性感染的细菌。泌尿道及肺部是一般受感染的地方。肠杆菌属与其他革兰氏阴性菌不同的是，牠能很快的把乳糖发酵（就像大肠杆菌及克雷伯士氏杆菌）。

肠杆菌属中两个对临床较重要的种为产气肠杆菌及阴沟肠杆菌。

Enterobacter is a genus of common Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Several strains of these bacteria are pathogenic and cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised (usually hospitalized) hosts and in those who are on mechanical ventilation. The urinary and respiratory tracts are the most common sites of infection. The genus Enterobacter is a member of the coliform group of bacteria. It does not belong to the fecal coliforms (or thermotolerant coliforms) group of bacteria, unlike Escherichia coli, because it is incapable of growth at 44.5 °C in the presence of bile salts. Some of them showed quorum sensing properties as reported before