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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium

Photo gallery[edit | edit source]

Enterococcus faecalis on bile-esculin agar
Enterococcus faecalis and BA

Summary video[edit | edit source]

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

Links[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

Použitá literatura[edit | edit source]

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. -.