Evolution of virulence in Enterococcus faecium, a hospital-adapted opportunistic pathogen

Wei Gao; Benjamin P Howden; Timothy P Stinear

doi:10.1016/j.mib.2017.11.030

Evolution of virulence in Enterococcus faecium, a hospital-adapted opportunistic pathogen

Curr Opin Microbiol. 2018 Feb:41:76-82. doi: 10.1016/j.mib.2017.11.030. Epub 2017 Dec 9.

Authors

Wei Gao¹, Benjamin P Howden², Timothy P Stinear³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
² Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; Infectious Diseases Department, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia.
³ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: tstinear@unimelb.edu.au.

PMID: 29227922
DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2017.11.030

Abstract

Enterococci are long-standing members of the human microbiome and they are also widely distributed in nature. However, with the surge of antibiotic-resistance in recent decades, two enterococcal species (Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium) have emerged to become significant nosocomial pathogens, acquiring extensive antibiotic resistance. In this review, we summarize what is known about the evolution of virulence in E. faecium, highlighting a specific clone of E. faecium called ST796 that has emerged recently and spread globally.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
Cross Infection / immunology
Cross Infection / microbiology*
Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics
Drug Resistance, Bacterial / immunology
Enterococcus faecium / drug effects
Enterococcus faecium / genetics*
Enterococcus faecium / immunology
Enterococcus faecium / pathogenicity*
Evolution, Molecular*
Genome, Bacterial
Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / microbiology*
Humans
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Virulence
Virulence Factors

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Virulence Factors