Infectious Diseases and Microbiology - Urinary Tract Infection associated with Catheterization ( Enterococcus faecalis)

Infectious Diseases and Microbiology - Urinary Tract Infection associated with Catheterization  ( Enterococcus faecalis) 
Conditions: Infections of the urinary tract, endocarditis, lesions within the abdominal cavity.
Cocci that are Gram-positive and belong to Lancefield group D are characterized by variable hemolysis.


Endogenous or fecal-oral transmission is the most common mode of transmission. A normal inhabitant of the gastrointestinal and urinary systems is E. faecalis. Urinary tract infections can be caused by indwelling catheters. It is common for vascular and peritoneal catheters to cause blood infections. There is some evidence that suggests a growth advantage to antibiotic treatment during prolonged hospitalization.


Infections caused by E. faecalis are not dangerous, although they are not easy to cure. Bacteremia and urinary tract infections are the two main symptoms of the condition. As part of a mixed infection, E. faecalis is commonly found in intra-abdominal wounds. Infected heart valves caused by E. faecalis are known to cause endocarditis.

Because it is resistant to so many different antibiotics, E. faecalis is notoriously hard to cure. Virus virulence factors are not well-defined.

Enterococcus, like Streptococcus, are gram positive and is  catalase negative. 
Escherichia coli has the ability to hydrolyze esculin and can withstand high levels of salt and bile.

Because E. faecalis is resistant to several antibiotics, the standard treatment consists of combining aminoglycosides with cell-wall active medicines like ampicillin or vancomycin.