Enterococcus Virulence and Resistant Traits Associated with Its Permanence in the Hospital Environment

Enterococcus are opportunistic pathogens that have been gaining importance in the clinical setting, especially in terms of hospital-acquired infections. This problem has mainly been associated with the fact that these bacteria are able to present intrinsic and extrinsic resistance to different classes of antibiotics, with a great deal of importance being attributed to vancomycin-resistant enterococci. However, other aspects, such as the expression of different virulence factors including biofilm-forming ability, and its capacity of trading genetic information, makes this bacterial genus more capable of surviving harsh environmental conditions. All these characteristics, associated with some reports of decreased susceptibility to some biocides, all described in this literary review, allow enterococci to present a longer survival ability in the hospital environment, consequently giving them more opportunities to disseminate in these settings and be responsible for difficult-to-treat infections.

Automated summary

Enterococcus are opportunistic pathogens of increasing importance in clinical settings, particularly in terms of hospital-acquired infections. These bacteria exhibit intrinsic and extrinsic resistance to various classes of antibiotics, with a particular emphasis on vancomycin-resistant enterococci. In addition to resistance, enterococci possess other characteristics such as the ability to form biofilms and exchange genetic information, enhancing their survival in harsh environments. These traits, along with reports of decreased susceptibility to biocides, contribute to the persistent presence of enterococci in hospitals and their role in causing difficult-to-treat infections.