Enterococcus faecalis

Clinical Utility

This assay is only available as part of a panel and cannot be ordered individually.

Enterococci faecalis is an anaerobic gram-positive coccus found in the normal intestinal flora of humans. These organisms also cause surgical wound infections and are not infrequently found as part of the mixed flora in decubitus ulcers and diabetic foot infections. Enterococci infections have both an intrinsic and acquired resistance to antibiotics, making them important nosocomial pathogens. The acquisition of vancomycin resistance by enterococci has seriously affected the treatment and infection control of these organisms.