Enterococcus

Enterococci form the natural microflora in the intestine and vagina. They are very resistant to high pH (8.5) and temperatures. They are highly resistant to antibiotics.

Enteroccocus species
Morphology: G + cocci in pairs or chains.
Occurrence: part of the natural microflora in the human gut.
Cultivation: not demanding on cultivation.
Collection of material: for diagnosis, clinical material is collected from gynecological swabs, urine or blood culture.

Diseases

Enterococci are among the conditional pathogens. They cause urinary and biliary tract infections, gynecological inflammations, postoperative complications in abdominal surgery and are involved in the development of infectious endocarditis.

Therapy: antibiotics, resistance increases especially in nosocomial strains.

Diagnostic procedure

Material

Swabs, urine, blood culture.

Identification
  • Microscopy: G+ cocci.
  • Cultivation: BA - gray colonies (possibility of α, β or γ hemolysis), SB - violet-brown colonies.
  • Tests: negative catalase test .
Serological methods

Wall antigen detection (group D).

Representatives

Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium

  • Enterococcus faecalis on bile-esculin agar
    Enterococcus faecalis on bile-esculin agar
  • Enterococcus faecalis and BA
    Enterococcus faecalis and BA

Summary video

<mediaplayer width='450' height='250' >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rZ_bMY_oPk</mediaplayer>


References

Použitá literatura

  • BEDNÁŘ, M – FRAŇKOVÁ, V – SCHINDLER, J. Lékařská mikrobiologie – bakteriologie, virologie, parazitologie. 1. edition. Praha : Marvil, 1996. 558 pp. ISBN 80-238-0297-6.
  • RYŠKOVÁ, Olga. Mikrobiologie pro studující zubního lékařství. 1. edition. V Praze : Karolinum, 2004. ISBN 80-246-0834-0.
  • ŠMÍROVÁ, Václava. Úvod do lékařské mikrobiologie. - edition. -.