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PubMed1991

[A case of metastatic Enterococcus faecalis endophthalmitis].

We reported a case of successful treatment of early-stage metastatic endophthalmitis caused by Enterococcus faecalis with vitrectomy and lensectomy. The case was a 50-year-old male with poorly controlled diabetes. Following T-tube drainage for a necrotic cholecystitis operation, he developed iridocyclitis in both eyes as well as fever. At the time of his first visit to our clinic, his right eye had already lost light perception. His left eye had visual acuity recognizing of hand movement, marked uveitis, complicated cataract, and dense vitreous opacity. As gram positive cocci were isolated from the aspirated vitreous, we conducted lensectomy and vitrectomy under irrigation of antibiotics. With systemic postoperative antibiotics and human immunoglobulin, the patient showed remarkable improvement in his ocular fundus. By 60 days after the operation, the visual acuity of his left eye recovered to 4/20. Metastatic Enterococcus faecalis endophthalmitis has almost nerve been reported in Japan. The diagnosis and treatment of this disease with a reference to the above findings were discussed.

Endophthalmitis↗

PubMed2004

A novel secreted endoglycosidase from Enterococcus faecalis with activity on human immunoglobulin G and ribonuclease B.

The human pathogen Enterococcus faecalis can degrade the N-linked glycans of human RNase B to acquire nutrients, but no gene or protein has been associated with this activity. We identified an 88-kDa secreted protein, endoglycosidase (Endo) E, which is most likely responsible for this activity. EndoE, encoded by ndoE, consists of an alpha-domain with a family 18 glycosyl hydrolase motif and a beta-domain similar to family 20 glycosyl hydrolases. Phylogenetic analysis of EndoE indicates that the alpha-domain is related to human chitobiases, and the beta-domain is related to bacterial and human hexosaminidases. Recombinant expression of full-length EndoE or EndoEalpha, site-directed mutagenesis of the catalytic residues, mass spectroscopy, and homology modeling shows that EndoEalpha hydrolyzes the glycan on human RNase B, whereas EndoEbeta hydrolyzes the conserved glycan on IgG. Denaturation experiments indicate that the chitinase activity on RNase B is not dependent on the tertiary structure, although it is on IgG. The ndoE gene and secreted EndoE are present in most E. faecalis but not in Enterococcus faecium isolates. Correspondingly, E. faecalis, but not E. faecium, degrades the glycan on RNase B during growth. Thus, we have identified a secreted enzyme from E. faecalis, EndoE, which by two distinct activities hydrolyzes the glycans on RNase B and IgG. Both activities could be important for the molecular pathogenesis and persistence of E. faecalis during human infections.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Susceptibility profile of Enterococcus faecalis isolated at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.

Enterococcus faecalis is the most common of the Enterococcus genus causing infection, particularly urinary tract infections, worldwide. It is also a common cause of nosocomial infections and resistance to various antibiotics is on the increase worldwide. Thirty-five strains of E. Faecalis isolated from various clinical specimens (blood, wound swabs endocervical swabs but mostly urine) were screened for high-level aminoglycoside resistance. Their susceptibility nine antibiotics (ampicillin, gentamicin, streptomycin, vancomycin, tetracycline cotrimoxazole and chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin and erthromycin) was also determined. All isolates were susceptible to Ampicillin and Vancomycin with MIC90 of 4microg/ml but resistant to Nalidixic acid with an MIC90>256microg/ml. Four (11%) of the isolates showed high-level resistance to Gentamicin while 11(32%) exhibited high-level resistance streptomycin after 24 hours incubation. It will appear that Ampicillin in combination with gentamicin but not streptomycin, can still be used empirically for the treatment of Enterococcal infections.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed2026

Comparative genomic characterization and antimicrobial resistance of bacteremia-causing Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis in a Chinese hospital.

Enterococci are common commensals of the human gut and important opportunistic pathogens, with Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis being the most clinically prevalent species. A significant epidemiological shift has emerged with an increasing clinical burden of E. faecium. To compare genomic evolution of E. faecium and E. faecalis, we performed whole-genome sequencing on 93 E. faecium and 32 E. faecalis isolates causing bloodstream infections at a single hospital (2022-2024). Analysis of patient demographics revealed that E. faecium infections originated from fewer sources than E. faecalis, with a higher proportion deriving from intra-abdominal infections. Multilocus sequence typing identified ST78 and ST789 as the predominant sequence types for E. faecium, whereas ST16 and ST179 were most common for E. faecalis. E. faecium carried more antimicrobial resistance genes and putative virulence marker (PVM)-type virulence genes than E. faecalis, with vancomycin resistance predominantly mediated by vanHAX (33/93, 35.5%) and a single E. faecalis isolate also carrying vanHAX (1/32, 3.1%); the structurally incomplete vanHMX gene cluster was detected in 11 E. faecium isolates. Pan-genome analysis indicated a larger core genome in E. faecalis compared to E. faecium, consistent with greater plasmid replicon diversity in the latter. Intra-host comparisons showed that two E. faecalis pairs from the same patient were clonally related, with one isolate acquiring a vanHAX plasmid conferring vancomycin resistance. In contrast, E. faecium isolates exhibited marked genomic diversity even among clonally related pairs. These findings suggest that E. faecium possesses greater genomic plasticity and adaptive potential to the clinical environment.IMPORTANCEThis study provides a detailed comparison of clinical and genomic features between Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis from the same hospital setting. We show that E. faecium isolates, mainly ST78/ST789, carry more antimicrobial resistance genes and a higher number of putative virulence marker (PVM) genes than E. faecalis, reflecting their hospital-adapted nature. E. faecium also exhibits a smaller core genome and greater diversity of plasmid replicon types, indicating higher genomic plasticity and capacity for horizontal gene transfer. By contrast, E. faecalis retains a larger core genome and a set of classical virulence factors, and its within-host isolates are clonally related. These distinct genomic profiles help to understand how the two species adapt to clinical environments and may inform more targeted infection control strategies and resistance surveillance.

Enterococcus faecium↗

PubMed1995

Generation of auxotrophic mutants of Enterococcus faecalis.

A 22-kb segment of chromosomal DNA from Enterococcus faecalis OG1RF containing the pyrimidine biosynthesis genes pyrC and pyrD was previously detected as complementing Escherichia coli pyrC and pyrD mutations. In the present study, it was found that the E. faecalis pyrimidine biosynthetic genes in this clone (designated pKV48) are part of a larger cluster resembling that seen in Bacillus spp. Transposon insertions were isolated at a number of sites throughout the cluster and resulted in loss of the ability to complement E. coli auxotrophs. The DNA sequences of the entire pyrD gene of E. faecalis and selected parts of the rest of the cluster were determined, and computer analyses found these to be similar to genes from Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus caldolyticus pyrimidine biosynthesis operons. Five of the transposon insertions were introduced back into the E. faecalis chromosome, and all except insertions in pyrD resulted in pyrimidine auxotrophy. The prototrophy of pyrD knockouts was observed for two different insertions and suggests that E. faecalis is similar to Lactococcus lactis, which has been shown to possess two pyrD genes. A similar analysis was performed with the purL gene from E. faecalis, contained in another cosmid clone, and purine auxotrophs were isolated. In addition, a pool of random transposon insertions in pKV48, isolated in E. coli, was introduced into the E. faecalis chromosome en masse, and an auxotroph was obtained. These results demonstrate a new methodology for constructing defined knockout mutations in E. faecalis.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1997

Sodium hypochlorite stress in Enterococcus faecalis: influence of antecedent growth conditions and induced proteins.

Compared with exponential growing bacteria, carbohydrate-starved cells of Enterococcus faecalis exhibit a high level of resistance to sodium hypochlorite with maximal resistance observed in cultures entering stationary phase. Chloramphenicol treatment, at various stages of growing phase, does not abolish the hypochlorite resistance of starved cells. However, Enterococcus faecalis conditioned by low sodium hypochlorite concentrations does not develop tolerance towards a lethal dose of the disinfectant. Two-dimensional gel analysis shows that protein synthesis is drastically turned off by hypochlorite treatment, whereas synthesis of a few proteins is enhanced by a low concentration of this chemical agent.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed1996

Purification and characterization of enterocin 4, a bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecalis INIA 4.

A simple two-step procedure was developed to obtain pure enterocin 4, a bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecalis INIA 4. Chemical and genetic characterization revealed that the primary structure of enterocin 4 is identical to that of peptide antibiotic AS-48 from Enterococcus faecalis S-48. In contrast to the reported inhibitory spectrum of AS-48, enterocin 4 displayed no activity against gram-negative bacteria.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2005

A novel engineered peptide, a narrow-spectrum antibiotic, is effective against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis.

A novel antienterococcal peptide was prepared by fusing the enterococcal cCF10 pheromone to the channel-forming domain of colicin Ia, forming Enterococcus faecalis pheromonicin (PMC-EF). This peptide was bactericidal against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) organisms. Electron microscopy and vital dyes confirmed increased membrane permeability. All mice made bacteremic with VRE strains survived when they were treated with PMC-EF, while all controls died.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed1999

Phenotypic distinction in Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis strains between susceptibility and resistance to growth-enhancing antibiotics.

Susceptibility of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis strains from animals and foods to growth-promoting antibiotics used in animal feed was tested by the agar dilution technique. Acquired resistance to bacitracin, narasin, tylosin, and virginiamycin was seen for both species, and for E. faecium, resistance to avilamycin and avoparcin was also seen. Drawing the distinction between susceptibility and resistance based on frequency distributions of MICs was easy with avoparcin, avilamycin, and tylosin but difficult with virginiamycin and to some extent also with bacitracin and narasin.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Conditional adherence of Enterococcus faecalis to extracellular matrix proteins.

The adherence of 44 clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecalis, a common cause of endocarditis, and 13 Enterococcus faecium to substrates of six extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins was examined using 35S-labeled bacteria. One E. faecalis strain, isolated from a patient with endocarditis, adhered to collagen types I and IV and another E. faecalis strain adhered to laminin and to collagen types I and IV. However, most isolates showed little adherence ( < 5% of added cells adhered) when grown at 37 degrees C regardless of their source (endocarditis, urine or fecal sample). When grown at 46 degrees C (but not when grown in CO2 or nutrient limited media), most isolates of E. faecalis increased their adherence to immobilized laminin, collagen types I and IV but not to fibronectin, fibrinogen or bovine serum albumin, whereas none of the E. faecium increased adherence when grown at 46 degrees C or 50 degrees C. The adherence of E. faecalis was eliminated by digestion with trypsin, suggesting that a protein is somehow important, directly or indirectly, for adherence to occur. Pre-incubation of bacteria with soluble collagen types I and IV inhibited the adherence to these ECM proteins. These results demonstrate that in E. faecalis, adherence to ECM proteins is produced during routine in vitro growth conditions by occasional isolates and can be produced during certain stressful growth conditions by others. Whether this adherence relates to the propensity of E. faecalis to cause endocarditis remains to be determined.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

High efficiency introduction of plasmid DNA into glycine treated Enterococcus faecalis by electroporation.

A highly efficient electroporation system for Enterococcus faecalis was developed by systematically optimizing different parameters. One parameter found to be particularly critical for electroporation was cultivation of E. faecalis in medium containing a high glycine concentration, prior to electroporation. Osmotic stabilization of cells with 0.5 M sucrose was also found to be critical during glycine treatment. 10(6) transformants per microgram of plasmid DNA were consistently obtained within 48 h. Electrocompetent preparations of E.-faecalis could be stored at - 70 degrees C without loss of competence.

DNA, Bacterial↗

PubMed1992

A case of endogenous Enterococcus faecalis endophthalmitis.

A case of successful treatment by vitrectomy and lensectomy of early-stage endogenous endophthalmitis caused by Enterococcus faecalis was reported. The case was a 50-year-old man with poorly controlled diabetes. Following T-tube drainage for a necrotic cholecystitis operation, he developed iridocyclitis in both eyes as well as fever. At the time of his first visit to our clinic, his right eye had already lost light perception. His left eye had visual acuity recognizing hand movement, marked uveitis, complicated cataract, and dense vitreous opacity. As gram-positive cocci were isolated from the aspirated vitreous, lensectomy and vitrectomy under irrigation with antibiotics were conducted. After the administration of systemic postoperative antibiotics and human immunoglobulin, the patient showed remarkable improvement in the state of his ocular fundus. By 60 days after the surgery, the visual acuity of his left eye recovered to 0.2. Endogenous Enterococcus faecalis endophthalmitis has rarely been reported in Japan. The diagnosis and treatment of this disease with reference to the above findings were discussed.

Cataract Extraction↗

PubMed2006

Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and culture analyses of Enterococcus faecalis in root canals.

Reports on the prevalence of Enterococcus faecalis in root canals vary considerably, potentially because of variations in clinical sampling and sample analysis methods. This study compared culture and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to detect and quantify E. faecalis in the same root canal sample. Consecutive root canal samples obtained from primary infection (n = 40) and retreatment (n = 48) cases were divided into two equal aliquots that were independently analyzed using culture and qPCR by investigators blinded to the analysis results of the other sample. E. faecalis was detected in 10.2% and 79.5% of samples by culture and qPCR, respectively (p < 0.0001; McNemar's test). E. faecalis was detected in more retreatment than primary infection samples (89.6% versus 67.5%; p = 0.01, Fisher's exact test). qPCR reported a significantly higher prevalence of E. faecalis in endodontic samples than culture techniques.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

In vitro bactericidal activities of daptomycin against Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis are not mediated by inhibition of lipoteichoic acid biosynthesis.

Previous studies have suggested that lipoteichoic acid biosynthesis inhibition is the mechanism of action of daptomycin. In this investigation, daptomycin inhibited all macromolecular synthesis in Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Enterococcus hirae without kinetic or dose specificity for lipoteichoic acid. Daptomycin remained bactericidal in the absence of ongoing lipoteichoic acid synthesis. Inhibition of lipoteichoic acid synthesis is apparently not the mechanism of action of daptomycin in these pathogens.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed1990

Effect of in vivo growth conditions upon expression of surface protein antigens in Enterococcus faecalis.

Western blotting of whole-cell preparations of Enterococcus faecalis showed the protein-antigen profiles to be markedly influenced by growth conditions. The E. faecalis-specific antigens of 40 and 37 kDa, which are prominent in endocarditis, were strongly expressed following growth in serum or brain heart infusion, but not after growth in a chemically defined medium. The expression of these antigens in vivo was demonstrated in cells grown as a biofilm on silastic discs in the peritoneum of rabbits. These in vivo culture conditions may be useful in studying the pathogenesis of E. faecalis infections and the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Transport of diamines by Enterococcus faecalis is mediated by an agmatine-putrescine antiporter.

Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 11700 is able to use arginine and the diamine agmatine as a sole energy source. Via the highly homologous deiminase pathways, arginine and agmatine are converted into CO2, NH3, and the end products ornithine and putrescine, respectively. In the arginine deiminase pathway, uptake of arginine and excretion of ornithine are mediated by an arginine-ornithine antiport system. The translocation of agmatine was studied in whole cells grown in the presence of arginine, agmatine, or glucose. Rapid uncoupler-insensitive uptake of agmatine was observed only in agmatine-grown cells. A high intracellular putrescine pool was maintained by these cells, and this pool was rapidly released by external putrescine or agmatine but not by arginine or ornithine. Kinetic analysis revealed competitive inhibition for uptake between putrescine and agmatine. Agmatine uptake by membrane vesicles was observed only when the membrane vesicles were preloaded with putrescine. Uptake of agmatine was driven by the outwardly directed putrescine concentration gradient, which is continuously sustained by the metabolic process. Uptake of agmatine and extrusion of putrescine by agmatine-grown cells of E. faecalis appeared to be catalyzed by an agmatine-putrescine antiporter. This transport system functionally resembled the previously described arginine-ornithine antiport, which was exclusively induced when the cells were grown in the presence of arginine.

Agmatine↗

PubMed1992

Transfer of a plasmid determining bacteriocin Bc-48 production and immunity, and response to sexual pheromones in Enterococcus faecalis S-48.

Production of bacteriocin Bc-48 by Enterococcus faecalis S-48 is encoded by the conjugative plasmid pMB1, which is approximately 90 kb and also responds to sex pheromones of E. faecalis OG1X. Mutants harboring deleted forms of this plasmid (pMB1-del, 75 kb) have lost both the phenotype Bc-48 (production and immunity) and the clumping response. The conjugal transfer of pMB1 to E. faecalis OG1X results in the acquisition by this strain of both bacteriocin production and immunity and also the clumping response. In the transconjugants isolated, the bacteriocinogenic trait is associated with a smaller plasmid (52 kb), which we call pMB1-1. The relationship among plasmids pMB1, pMB1-del, and pMB1-1 has been demonstrated by DNA hybridization. Plasmid pMB1-1 has been transferred with high frequency to E. faecalis mutants cured of Bc-48 production (carrying pMB1-del), conferring to them the Bc-48 trait and clumping response. In the transconjugants from a second mating, pMB1-1 and pMB1-del coexist without appreciable segregation.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed1989

Study on pathogenesis of Enterococcus faecalis in urinary tract.

The rate of isolation of Enterococcus faecalis as the causative bacterium of complicated urinary tract infections has been increasing. However, the pathogenicity of this bacterium in the urinary tract has not been clarified. Thus, the authors investigated how E. faecalis is pathogenic to the urinary tract, using mice with experimental urinary tract infection. The investigation revealed that this bacterium when sufficiently numerous can be directly pathogenic. The bacterium can be pathogenic indirectly when present with other typical urinary bacteria such as E. coli.

Animals↗