Enterococcus is a normally harmless bacteria found in the digestive tract, but can cause infections in people with weakened immune systems. It can infect the urinary tract, skin wounds, kidneys, and occasionally the bloodstream and heart muscles. Antibiotic-resistant strains are becoming more common, posing a challenge to healthcare professionals.
Enterococcus is a genus of bacteria normally harmless to humans. In fact, nearly all people have benign colonies of bacteria in their digestive tracts. When a person suffers from a serious illness or has a compromised immune system, however, the colonies can become active and wreak havoc on the body. The bacteria can infect the urinary tract, skin wounds, kidneys, and occasionally the bloodstream and heart muscles. Most infections can be managed with antibiotics, but some new strains are becoming resistant to the drugs and much more difficult to treat.
Older people and children are at higher risk of complications from Enterococcus because their immune systems aren’t strong enough to fight off the bacteria. People who have AIDS or another condition that impairs immune system function are also at increased risk. Infrequently, otherwise healthy men and women can become infected if they are in close contact with infectious patients in hospitals. The bacteria can be passed from one person to another through close contact, sharing drinks and utensils, or handling contaminated clothing or waste.
The most common problem associated with this bacteria is a urinary tract infection. Patients may have painful and frequent urination with abnormal, yellow, foul-smelling discharge from the genitals. The bacteria can also cause digestive tract problems, such as diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting. If a skin wound becomes infected, it may swell and fill with pus. Less commonly, a type of inflammation of the heart called endocarditis can occur and cause flu-like symptoms and difficulty breathing.
Patients presenting with symptoms of severe Enterococcus infections are usually quarantined while diagnostic tests are performed. Samples of blood, stool, and urine are collected and analyzed for the presence of bacteria. Ultrasounds or computed tomography may be used to look for signs of inflammation in the heart, liver, lungs and other vital organs.
In the past, Enterococcus was easily treated with common antibiotics such as vancomycin. Some bacterial strains are so prolific, however, that they have developed strong resistance to antibiotic treatment in recent decades. Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus poses a challenge to healthcare professionals in hospitals because it can take several days of trial-and-error treatments before an antibiotic is found that is effective against a particular strain. Meanwhile, hospital staff and other patients are likely to become infected themselves. Careful quarantine measures and new antibiotics help limit the chances of hospital outbreaks and clear up patients’ symptoms in as little as a week.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
