Enterococcus faecalis

Not to be confused with Enterococcus faecium.

Enterococcus faecalis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Bacillota
Class: Bacilli
Order: Lactobacillales
Family: Enterococcaceae
Genus: Enterococcus
Species:
E. faecalis
Binomial name
Enterococcus faecalis
(Andrewes and Horder, 1906) Schleifer and Kilpper-Bälz, 1984

Enterococcus faecalis – formerly classified as part of the group D Streptococcus system – is a Gram-positive, commensal bacterium inhabiting the gastrointestinal tracts of humans.[1][2] Like other species in the genus Enterococcus, E. faecalis is found in healthy humans and can be used as a probiotic. The probiotic strains such as Symbioflor1 and EF-2001 are characterized by the lack of specific genes related to drug resistance and pathogenesis.[3] As an opportunistic pathogen, E. faecalis can cause life-threatening infections, especially in the nosocomial (hospital) environment, where the naturally high levels of antibiotic resistance found in E. faecalis contribute to its pathogenicity.[2][verification needed] E. faecalis has been frequently found in reinfected, root canal-treated teeth in prevalence values ranging from 30% to 90% of the cases.[4] Re-infected root canal-treated teeth are about nine times more likely to harbor E. faecalis than cases of primary infections.[5]

  1. ^ de Almeida CV, Taddei A, Amedei A (2018-01-01). "The controversial role of Enterococcus faecalis in colorectal cancer". Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology. 11. SAGE Publications: 1756284818783606. doi:10.1177/1756284818783606. PMC 6044108. PMID 30013618.
  2. ^ a b Ryan KJ, Ray CG, eds. (2004). Sherris Medical Microbiology (4th ed.). McGraw Hill. pp. 294–295. ISBN 0-8385-8529-9.
  3. ^ Panthee S, Paudel A, Hamamoto H, Ogasawara AA, Iwasa T, Blom J, et al. (May 2021). "Complete genome sequence and comparative genomic analysis of Enterococcus faecalis EF-2001, a probiotic bacterium". Genomics. 113 (3): 1534–1542. doi:10.1016/j.ygeno.2021.03.021. PMID 33771633.
  4. ^ Molander A, Reit C, Dahlén G, Kvist T (January 1998). "Microbiological status of root-filled teeth with apical periodontitis". International Endodontic Journal. 31 (1): 1–7. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2591.1998.t01-1-00111.x. PMID 9823122.
  5. ^ Rôças IN, Siqueira JF, Santos KR (May 2004). "Association of Enterococcus faecalis with different forms of periradicular diseases". Journal of Endodontics. 30 (5): 315–320. doi:10.1097/00004770-200405000-00004. PMID 15107642.