Enterococcus Faecalis: Causes, Symptoms, Infections, and Treatment

What Is Enterococcus Faecalis?

Your body is packed with trillions of helpful bacteria, especially in your gut, mouth, and even the genital area. These microbes help with digestion and immunity and can even affect your mood. One important group is called enterococci, with at least 18 different species, and among them, Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) is one of the most common types.

Typically, E. faecalis normally lives in your system and causes no trouble. But if it moves into places where it should not be, like your bloodstream or other organs, it can trigger serious infections. The worst part? These infections are tough to treat, too, because regular antibiotics often do not work against them due to high drug resistance.

What Are the Causes and Transmission of Enterococcus Faecalis Infections?

Enterococci are surprisingly resilient bacteria. They can hang around in all kinds of places, whether super hot or cold. Enterococcus faecalis usually lives inside your gut. But it can also show up in your mouth and vagina. Our bodies get rid of these bacteria through our feces. The main way E. faecalis spreads is through the fecal-oral route.

Here are some reasons for E. faecalis:

• Improper Hand Hygiene: If someone with this infection does not wash their hands properly after using the bathroom, bacteria can easily end up on surfaces like phones, doors, and kitchen utensils. Then, if you touch these contaminated surfaces and forget to wash your hands before you eat or touch your mouth, you could get the infection, too.

• Contaminated Food or Drinks: E. faecalis bacteria are also present in plants and soil. Those germs can end up in your mouth when you eat unwashed food.

• Bacterial Growth on Medical Equipment: You may also contract this type of bacteria in the hospital. E. faecalis loves to stick to medical equipment (like catheters), forming stubborn layers called biofilms if not properly sterilized or cleaned.

Who Is Most at Risk of this Infection?

Enterococcus faecalis does not usually cause problems for most healthy people because our bodies keep it in check. But sometimes, especially if someone’s immune system isn’t as strong, these bacteria can cause serious infections. The risk of this infection varies depending on health and the immune system.

You are more likely to run into trouble with E. faecalis:

• If you are in the hospital, your immune system might weaken, and you are more exposed to bacteria.

• If you have a health condition like HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) or AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), it lowers your body’s defenses.

• If you are going through cancer treatments, that can make it harder for your body to fight germs.

• If you are on dialysis or have had an organ transplant, this can also weaken your immune system.

• If you have a history of urinary tract infections (UTIs).

• If you have open wounds or are healing from surgery or injury.

• If you had a root canal or other dental work, bacteria can sometimes get in.

What Are the Common Infections Caused by Enterococcus Faecalis?

E. faecalis can cause a few different types of infections, and it’s helpful to know what to watch out for:

• Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): They happen when E. faecalis gets into your urinary system, such as your bladder, kidneys, ureters, or urethra. You might notice a burning feeling when you pee, a constant need to go, pain in your lower belly, or cloudy, red, or pink urine.

• Wound Infections: If you get a cut, scrape, or bug bite, or have surgery, E. faecalis can sneak in and cause an infection. Usually, within a day or two, you might see redness spreading like a red streak, pus from the wound, fever, or swollen lymph nodes nearby.

• Bacteremia: It occurs when bacteria get into your bloodstream. It is serious because it can lead to infections all over your body or cause organ problems. You might feel dizzy, have a fast heartbeat, notice skin rashes, or feel nauseous and vomit.

• Endocarditis: It is an infection of the inside lining of your heart. Bacteria travel through your blood and settle in your heart. Signs can include unusual heart sounds (heart murmurs), blood in your urine, fever, chills, chest pain, night sweats, and sometimes white spots on your hands and feet. If it gets bad, it can even cause heart failure.

• Other Infections: E. faecalis can also cause other problems, like meningitis (an infection of the brain and spinal cord), pelvic infections, and periodontitis (gum and bone inflammation that holds teeth in place).

What Are the Symptoms of Enterococcus Faecalis Infections?

The symptoms of E. faecalis infections are mainly based on the site and type of infection.

• Fatigue.

• Fast heartbeat with shallow breathing.

• Diarrhea.

• Bleeding gums.

• Chest pain when you breathe.

• Nausea.

• Vomiting.

• Fever and chills.

• Stomach pain.

• Stiff neck.

How Is Enterococcus Faecalis Diagnosed?

If your doctor thinks you might have an E. faecalis infection, they’ll probably do some tests to figure out exactly what’s going on. Depending on where the infection is, they might ask for a sample of your urine or blood. These samples are sent to the lab, where the experts will identify the bacteria causing the problem.

After they find E. faecalis, the laboratory personnel will run antibiotic sensitivity tests to see which medicines will best fight the infection and which will not. This will help your doctor pick the right antibiotics to get you feeling better as soon as possible.

What Are the Treatment Strategies for Enterococcus Faecalis Infections?

E. faecalis can be cured. Antibiotics are the best option for treating an E. faecalis infection. These bacteria can sometimes resist certain antibiotics, making treatment challenging. Doctors usually prefer to use Ampicillin because it works well against most E. faecalis infections.

Other antibiotics that can be used include Penicillin, Amoxicillin, Daptomycin, Streptomycin, Gentamicin, and Vancomycin. If the infection is more serious, like a UTI, meningitis, or endocarditis, your doctor might give you a combination of antibiotics to get the best result.

What Are the Preventive Measures for Enterococcus faecalis Infections?

The preventive measures that you should follow to keep yourself safe from this infection are as follows:

• Keeping yourself safe from E. faecalis helps you develop good habits, like washing your hands right after you come out of the bathroom and before you eat anything.

• Also, avoid sharing personal items like towels or razors since bacteria can hang on them.

• To keep germs away, regularly wipe down things you touch often, like TV remotes or door handles, with sanitizer.

• Keep your bathroom and toilet clean.

• The hospital things, like thermometers or cuffs of blood pressure machines, should be cleaned with disinfectant.

Conclusion:

E. faecalis is harmless if it is present only in your digestive system, but if it moves to any other part of your body, the bacterium becomes abnormal and can cause life-threatening infections. If you are immunocompromised or have a weakened immune system, you must be extra careful and maintain good hygiene to lower your chances of getting sick from this bacterium. However, if you’re generally healthy, there’s usually no need to worry too much about it.

A Key Note by iCliniq:

E. faecalis is harmless in healthy individuals, but if your immune system is weak, you may be the target for this type of infection. If you experience any type of infection, like a UTI, endocarditis, or wound infection, don’t delay going to a doctor. Our specialist doctor at icliniq.com will suggest good antibiotics to eliminate this infection.