Physiology of Enterococcus faecalis and faecium

作者：Matthew G. Lammers · 发表于：Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) · 年份：2009 · 研究领域：Mycobacterium research and diagnosis、Antimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococcus、Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility Testing

Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis are commensal bacteria that colonize the gastrointestinal tract. Although these bacteria are in principal non-pathogenic, E. faecium and E. faecalis have emerged as important nosocomial pathogens with high-level resistance to antibiotics causing clinical infections including urinary tract infections, bacteremia and bacterial endocarditis in elderly and immunocompromised patients. Since the prevalence of enterococcal infections in hospitalized patients is still increasing every year, much research is focussed on the pathogenicity of these specific strains. Thus far, no clear evidence is has been found that explains the ecological success of these infectious causing strains. In order to understand what characteristics of E. faecium and E. faecalis really favour its ability to colonize and infect its host, this review focuses on the physiology of these bacteria rather then its pathology. \nThe potential to degrade mucin glycoproteins via the production of specific glycosidases might contribute to an enhanced fitness of the organism because this substrate can be used as an additional nutrient source. Furthermore, E. faecium and E. faecalis have been shown to be resistant to bile acids. Besides bile salt hydrolases (BSH) that can detoxify conjugated bile acids (CBA), also other proteins, like gls24, are associated with CBA resistance. In addition to these characteristics, E. faecalis and to a lesser extend also E. faecium, are the pri...