Enterococcus: Antimicrobial Resistance in Enterococci Epidemiology, Treatment, and Control

Abstract

Enterococci are Gram-positive, facultative anaerobic cocci that are morphologically similar to streptococci on gram strain (1, 2). The normal habitat of these microorganisms is the gastrointestinal tract of human and other mammals, although they can be isolated from the oropharynx, female genital tract, and skin. Most recently, 36 species of enterococci have been described; however, 26 have been associated with human infection (2–4). Enterococcus faecalis is the most common human pathogen, but Enterococcus faecium has become increasingly prevalent in hospital-acquired infections. All the other enterococcal species together constitute less than 5% of enterococcal infections (2–4). These other species associated with human infections include Enterococcus gallinarum, Enterococcus casselifl avus, Enterococcus avium, Enterococcus cecorum, Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus hirae, Enterococcus malodoratus, Enterococcus mundtii, Enterococcus pseudoavium, and Enterococcus raffi nosus (2–11).