You might be surprised to learn that there are trillions of bacteria living inside our bodies. It's true. These bacteria live in places like our intestines and reproductive systems. Most of them do good things, like help us digest the food we eat and influence our mood. But sometimes, some of these bacteria can cause us big problems. Today we're going to talk about one such type of bacteria.
What are Enterococci?
Simply put, enterococci are a group of bacteria that normally live in our intestines. In fact, they can be found in the intestines of almost every animal on Earth. Although there are more than 17 species in this group, only a few species cause infections in humans. Of these, two main ones are:
- Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis)
- Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium)
The biggest problem with these bacterial infections is that they are very difficult to treat. The reason is that these bacteria cannot be easily killed by ordinary antibiotics . In other words, they are highly drug-resistant .
How does this infection occur?
The most common type of enterococcal infection in humans is caused by a bacteria called Enterococcus faecalis. This bacterium is unique in that it can survive in a wide range of environmental conditions, including extreme heat and cold. In addition to our intestines, this bacterium can also live in our mouths and in women's vaginas.
Because of these special abilities of this bacteria, many antibiotics do not work against these infections. For example, this bacteria can be resistant to many of the following antibiotics:
| Antibiotic drug class | Examples |
|---|---|
| Penicillins | Penicillin, Ampicillin, Amoxicillin |
| Cephalosporins | Resistant to most cephalosporins. |
| Glycopeptides | Vancomycin (also known as Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci – VRE) |
What health problems can be caused by Enterococci?
These bacterial infections are most commonly seen in hospitals. According to statistics, especially in countries like the United States, a large number of urinary tract infections , wound infections , blood infections, and heart infections are reported annually due to this bacteria. Let's look at each of these infections separately.
| Type of infection | Description and symptoms |
|---|---|
| Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) | An infection anywhere in your urinary system (kidneys, bladder, urethra). Women are at higher risk. Symptoms: – Frequent need to urinate – Burning and pain when urinating – Cloudy, red, pink, or dark-colored urine – Lower abdominal pain |
| Wound Infections | Infection of cuts, scrapes, animal bites, sutured wounds, etc. can usually occur within 24-72 hours. Symptoms: – Pus draining from the wound – Spreading redness around the wound – Increased pain and swelling – Fever – Swollen lymph nodes |
| Bacteria entering the bloodstream (Bacteremia) | An infection in the body (e.g. a urinary tract infection) spreads to the bloodstream. This is a very dangerous condition . Symptoms: – Fever and chills – Nausea, vomiting – Difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat – Confusion or loss of consciousness |
| Heart valve infection (Endocarditis) | Bacteria that spread through the blood can attach to the lining of the heart and heart valves, causing an infection. This is also a very serious condition . Symptoms: – Symptoms of a cold or flu, such as fever, body aches, and night sweats – A new heart murmur – Small bumps on the hands or feet |
How does this bacteria spread?
E. faecalis infections often spread in hospital settings. The main reason for this is that hospitalized patients have a weakened immune system .
Most often, this bacteria is transmitted by hospital staff. Some of them can live in their intestines without causing any symptoms. Also, this bacteria can spread to patients through some medical equipment used in hospitals.
This is why it is extremely important that hospitals strictly adhere to cleanliness, disinfection, and sterilization protocols. In hospitals where such procedures are well implemented, the risk of spreading such infections is very low.
How are these infections treated?
As we mentioned before, treating infections caused by E. faecalis is challenging because this bacteria is resistant to many antibiotics.
Therefore, doctors usually treat with a combination of two types of drugs. For example, a drug that affects the bacterial cell wall (e.g., penicillin, ampicillin, vancomycin) is given together with an aminoglycoside (e.g., gentamicin, streptomycin).
However, more serious conditions, such as skin infections and heart valve infections (endocarditis), may require a different combination of drugs. However, conditions such as urinary tract infections (UTIs) are relatively easy to treat. A single antibiotic, such as ampicillin, may be sufficient.
The most important thing is that because these are serious infections, if you have these symptoms, especially after being hospitalized, you should see your doctor immediately. Do not attempt to self-treat. Treatment should only be decided by a doctor after examining your condition.
Take-Home Message
- Enterococci are a type of bacteria that normally live in our intestines, but in some cases they can cause serious infections.
- These infections are often common among hospitalized patients and are difficult to treat because they are resistant to many antibiotics.
- Various diseases can occur, from urinary tract infections and wound infections to life-threatening blood and heart infections (`Bacteremia`, `Endocarditis`).
- Adherence to strict hygiene practices in hospitals is very important to prevent these infections.
- If you have symptoms such as fever, wound infection, or urinary tract infection, especially after being discharged from the hospital, seek medical advice without delay.
Enterococci, Enterococcus faecalis, bacterial infections, hospital infections, antibiotic resistance, urinary tract infections, wound infections
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