Enterococcus faecalis
You don't need to be Editor-In-Chief to add or edit content to WikiDoc. You can begin to add to or edit text on this WikiDoc page by clicking on the edit button at the top of this page. Next enter or edit the information that you would like to appear here. Once you are done editing, scroll down and click the Save page button at the bottom of the page.
| Enterococcus faecalis | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image:Enterococcus faecalis SEM 01.png Enterococcus faecalis as viewed through a scanning electron microscope
| ||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Enterococcus faecalis (Orla-Jensen 1919) Schleifer & Kilpper-Bälz 1984 |
Enterococcus faecalis is a Gram-positive commensal bacterium inhabiting the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and other mammals.[1] Like other species in the genus Enterococcus, E. faecalis can cause life-threatening infections in humans, especially in the nosocomial (hospital) environment: the naturally high levels of antibiotic resistance found in E. faecalis contribute to its pathogenicity.[1]
Pathogenesis
E. faecalis can cause endocarditis, as well as bladder, prostate, and epididymal infections; nervous system infections are less common.[1][1]
E. faecalis is resistant to many commonly used antimicrobial agents (aminoglycosides, aztreonam, cephalosporins, clindamycin, the semi-synthetic penicillins nafcillin and oxacillin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole). Exposure to cephalosporins is a particularly important risk factor for colonization and infection with enterococci.
Historical
Prior to 1984, enterococci were members of the genus Streptococcus: thus E. faecalis was known as Streptococcus faecalis.[1]
References
External links
 | This disease article is a stub. You can help WikiDoc by expanding it. |
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
