Enterococcus

Species

• Enterococcus faecalis

• Enterococcus faecium

Laboratory Identification

• Gram positive cocci, pairs / short chains

• catalase negative

• facultative anaerobes

• tolerate bile salts

Features

• intrinsically resistant to

  • flucloxacillin

  • cephalosporin

• have acquired resistance to

  • aminoglycosides

  • vancomycin

Colonise

• large intestine

Disease

• bacteraemia
• endocarditis
• urinary tract infection
  • esp. with urinary catheters
• wound infections

Treatment

• aminoglycoside + cell-wall active (e.g. ampicillin, vancomycin)
• linezolid
• quinopristin/dalfopristin
• fluoroquinolones