Faculty Collaboration Database

Colonization of the mammalian intestinal tract by enterococci. Curr Opin Microbiol 2019 Feb;47:26-31

Date

11/16/2018

Pubmed ID

30439685

Pubmed Central ID

PMC6511500

DOI

10.1016/j.mib.2018.10.005

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85056238106 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   21 Citations

Abstract

Enterococci are colonizers of the mammalian gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and normally live in healthy association with their human host. However, enterococci are also major causes of healthcare-acquired infections, prompting the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to declare vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) a serious threat to public health. Because of both intrinsic and acquired antibiotic resistance, enterococci proliferate in the GIT during antibiotic therapy, leading to dissemination and disease. The recognition that colonization of the GIT is a pre-requisite for enterococcal infections has prompted research to study mechanisms used by enterococci to colonize this niche. This review discusses major findings of recent research to understand GIT colonization by enterococci using diverse experimental models, each of which exhibits unique strengths. This work has revealed enterococcal transcriptional reprogramming in the GIT, contributions of specific enterococcal genes encoded by the core genome to GIT colonization, the impact of genome plasticity, and roles for intra-species and inter-species interactions in modulation of GIT colonization.

Author List

Banla LI, Salzman NH, Kristich CJ

Authors

Christopher J. Kristich PhD Professor in the Microbiology and Immunology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Nita H. Salzman MD, PhD Director, Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Carrier State
Enterococcus
Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections
Host-Pathogen Interactions
Humans
Intestines