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Enterococcus faecium

Enterococcus faecium is a Gram-positive, facultative anaerobic bacterium belonging to the genus Enterococcus, characterized by its coccal shape and arrangement in pairs or short chains.^[1] First identified in human fecal flora in 1899 and reclassified from the Streptococcus genus in 1984 based on biochemical and nucleic acid analyses, enterococci, including E. faecium, serve as commensals in the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and animals, with typical counts ranging from 10⁵ to 10⁷ CFU per gram of stool in healthy individuals; E. faecium typically represents 5-10% of these.^[2]^[3] As an opportunistic pathogen, E. faecium is particularly notorious in healthcare environments, where hospital-adapted lineages (such as clade A1) cause nosocomial infections including bloodstream infections, endocarditis, urinary tract infections, and surgical site infections, especially among immunocompromised patients in intensive care units or those undergoing organ transplants.^[2]^[4] Its ability to thrive under harsh conditions—such as desiccation, elevated temperatures (10–45°C), and exposure to antiseptics—contributes to its persistence in hospitals, sewage, soil, and water.^[1]^[2] The incidence of E. faecium bloodstream infections has risen significantly, increasing by 19.3% annually in Europe from 2002 to 2008.^[2] A defining feature of E. faecium is its high level of intrinsic and acquired antibiotic resistance, with over 70% of clinical isolates resistant to vancomycin, rendering it a leading cause of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infections that result in approximately 54,500 cases and 5,400 deaths annually in U.S. hospitals as of 2017.^[4] As of 2025, global surveillance indicates continued high levels of vancomycin resistance in clinical isolates (14-50% varying by region), alongside emerging resistance to last-resort agents like linezolid, complicating therapeutic options.^[5] Resistance mechanisms, including the vanA and vanB genes on mobile genetic elements, also confer resistance to ampicillin and other agents, complicating treatment and necessitating strict infection control measures like hand hygiene and antibiotic stewardship.^[2]^[6] Ongoing challenges include the spread of multidrug-resistant clones (e.g., ST796 in Australia since 2012) and increased tolerance to alcohol-based hand sanitizers (noted since 2018), underscoring the ongoing challenge of managing E. faecium in clinical settings.^[2]

Taxonomy and Characteristics

Classification and Etymology

Enterococcus faecium was initially described as Streptococcus faecium by Orla-Jensen in 1919 and classified within the group D streptococci based on its Lancefield grouping and phenotypic traits.^[7] This classification persisted until 1984, when Schleifer and Kilpper-Bälz proposed the revival of the genus Enterococcus (originally suggested by Thiercelin and Jouhaud in 1903) and transferred S. faecium to it as Enterococcus faecium comb. nov., based on 16S rRNA sequencing, DNA-DNA hybridization, and physiological distinctions from other streptococci, such as growth in 6.5% NaCl and at 10°C and 45°C.^[8] This reclassification separated enterococci from the Streptococcus genus due to their phylogenetic divergence within the lactic acid bacteria.^[9] The etymology of the genus name Enterococcus combines the Greek prefix "entero-" from enteron (intestine), reflecting its primary habitat in the gastrointestinal tract, and the suffix "-coccus" from kokkos (berry or grain), denoting its spherical, Gram-positive morphology.^[10] The species epithet faecium derives from the Latin noun faex (dregs or feces), with the genitive plural form indicating its isolation from fecal sources and association with intestinal environments.^[7] In current bacterial taxonomy, E. faecium belongs to the domain Bacteria, phylum Firmicutes, class Bacilli, order Lactobacillales, family Enterococcaceae, genus Enterococcus, and species E. faecium. Phylogenetically, it forms a distinct clade within the Enterococcus genus alongside E. faecalis, its closest relative, supported by shared core genomic features and 16S rRNA similarities exceeding 99%.^[11] Both species exhibit genome sizes of approximately 2.5–3.0 Mbp, with E. faecium averaging around 2.9 Mbp, though hospital-adapted strains often show expansions due to mobile genetic elements.^[12]

Morphology and Physiology

Enterococcus faecium is a Gram-positive bacterium characterized by ovoid cocci typically measuring 0.5–1.5 µm in diameter, arranged in pairs or short chains.^[13] It is non-motile, non-spore-forming, and lacks capsules or flagella in most strains.^[14] These morphological traits distinguish it from related streptococci and contribute to its resilience in diverse environments.^[15] Physiologically, E. faecium is a catalase-negative, facultative anaerobe capable of growth under aerobic, anaerobic, or microaerophilic conditions, though it thrives best in nutrient-rich media.^[13] Optimal growth occurs at 35–37°C and pH 6.5–7.5, with tolerance extending to temperatures of 10–45°C, up to 6.5% NaCl, 40% bile salts, and brief exposure to 45–50°C heat.^[15] On blood agar, colonies appear as small (1–2 mm), smooth, gray-white to milky, and are typically alpha-hemolytic or non-hemolytic, presenting a wet sheen after 24–48 hours at 37°C.^[14] These properties enable its survival in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract and other challenging niches.^[13]

Metabolism

Enterococcus faecium is classified as a homofermentative lactic acid bacterium, primarily metabolizing glucose through the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (EMP) glycolytic pathway to yield L(+)-lactic acid as the predominant end product, without the production of gas.^[16] This pathway involves the conversion of glucose to pyruvate via a series of enzymatic steps, followed by reduction to lactate by lactate dehydrogenase, enabling efficient anaerobic energy production under typical environmental conditions.^[17] The homofermentative nature distinguishes E. faecium from heterofermentative counterparts, as it directs nearly all glycolytic flux toward lactate synthesis, supporting its adaptation to carbohydrate-rich niches.^[18] The bacterium exhibits selective carbohydrate utilization, fermenting sugars such as glucose, lactose, and mannitol to generate energy and lactic acid, while it lacks the ability to metabolize citrate or urea as carbon or nitrogen sources.^[19] These preferences reflect its specialized enzymatic repertoire, including glycosidases for hexose and pentose breakdown, which facilitate survival in diverse but carbohydrate-dependent habitats.^[20] Key biochemical markers include positive activity for pyrrolidonyl arylamidase (PYR), which hydrolyzes L-pyrrolidonyl-β-naphthylamide, and esculin hydrolysis, where β-glucosidase cleaves esculin to esculetin, producing a black precipitate in the presence of iron; arginine dihydrolase activity, however, varies across strains, influencing ammonia production from arginine catabolism.^[21]^[22] In amino acid metabolism, E. faecium synthesizes enterocins, a class of ribosomally synthesized bacteriocins that target competing microbes by disrupting their cell membranes, thereby providing a competitive edge in microbial communities.^[23] This production is regulated through mechanisms like catabolite repression, where preferred carbon sources such as glucose inhibit the expression of genes for alternative substrate utilization or secondary metabolites, optimizing resource allocation during fluctuating nutrient availability.^[24] Nutritionally, E. faecium has specific requirements, including pyridoxal (a form of vitamin B6) as an essential cofactor for amino acid transamination and other enzymatic reactions critical to growth.^[25] Despite these dependencies, the bacterium demonstrates resilience in nutrient-poor media, sustaining proliferation through efficient scavenging of limited resources and metabolic versatility.^[26]

Ecology and Habitat

Natural Reservoirs

Enterococcus faecium is primarily a commensal bacterium in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and a wide range of animals, where it forms part of the normal microbiota. In healthy humans, it typically constitutes up to 1% of the fecal microbiota, with colonization densities ranging from 10⁴ to 10⁶ colony-forming units (CFU) per gram of wet fecal weight.^[27] Among animals, it is commonly found in the intestines of mammals such as pigs and cattle, as well as birds like poultry and reptiles, often reaching high densities in feces comparable to those in humans.^[28] For instance, in pigs and poultry, E. faecium is a predominant enterococcal species, contributing to the gut flora and potentially aiding in metabolic processes.^[29] Beyond animal hosts, E. faecium occupies diverse environmental niches, including soil, freshwater and marine waters, sewage, plants, and food products. In soil, particularly tropical and coastal types, it can persist at levels exceeding 1,000 most probable number (MPN) per gram, sometimes multiplying under favorable conditions.^[28] It is frequently detected in aquatic environments as an indicator of fecal pollution, surviving longer than coliforms in rivers, estuaries, and recreational waters, and in raw sewage at concentrations ranging from 7 × 10⁶ to 2.3 × 10⁸ CFU per 100 mL.^[28]^[30] On plants, it colonizes both terrestrial vegetation and aquatic species like Cladophora, with densities over 100,000 CFU per gram dry weight in some cases, and appears in food items such as cheese, fermented meats, and forage crops through environmental contamination or animal-derived sources.^[28]^[27] The broad host range of E. faecium—spanning humans, mammals, birds, reptiles, and even insects—facilitates its transmission primarily via fecal-oral routes, foodborne pathways, and contaminated water or vectors. Animal husbandry practices, such as in pig and poultry farming, serve as significant reservoirs, potentially disseminating strains to human populations through the food chain or environmental runoff.^[29]^[27] Its persistence is enhanced by the ability to form biofilms on surfaces, allowing survival for months in sediments, vegetation, and water, even under stressful conditions.^[28]

Environmental Adaptation

Enterococcus faecium exhibits remarkable tolerance to desiccation, allowing it to persist on dry surfaces for extended periods, such as months to years, which facilitates its survival in hospital environments outside natural reservoirs.^[31] This bacterium also demonstrates resistance to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, partly attributed to physiological adaptations and conjugative plasmids like pAD1 in certain strains, enabling persistence under exposure to environmental stressors.^[15] Additionally, E. faecium withstands temperature extremes, growing between 10°C and 45°C and surviving short exposures to temperatures as high as 62°C, including tolerance to 60°C for up to 30 minutes in some isolates, which underscores its resilience to heat stress.^[32] Biofilm formation is a critical adaptation for E. faecium, mediated by the enterococcal surface protein (Esp) encoded by the esp gene, which promotes initial cell adhesion and multilayered biofilm development on abiotic surfaces like medical devices.^[33] This process enhances survival by providing protection against desiccation and other environmental challenges, with up to 67.5% of clinical isolates capable of forming biofilms on polystyrene.^[31] Quorum sensing further coordinates these adaptations, regulating gene expression for biofilm production and collective stress responses among bacterial populations.^[15] Stress response regulons, such as the CtsR system, play a pivotal role in managing heat shock and other adversities by controlling chaperone and protease genes that maintain protein homeostasis under thermal stress.^[15] In oligotrophic environments, E. faecium adapts through efficient nutrient scavenging, employing phosphotransferase systems (PTS) to uptake scarce sugars like N-acetylglucosamine and leveraging the stringent response via alarmone ppGpp for starvation tolerance, allowing persistence in nutrient-poor aquatic settings for months.^[31] Genomic plasticity underpins E. faecium's rapid evolution in new niches, with mobile genetic elements—including plasmids (up to 11 per isolate) and transposons—comprising up to 38% of the genome and facilitating the acquisition of adaptive traits through horizontal gene transfer.^[15] This high versatility, evident in clade A1 strains with larger genomes (2.23–3.72 Mbp) enriched in mobile elements, enables quick adjustments to fluctuating environmental conditions.^[31]

Pathogenesis

Virulence Factors

Enterococcus faecium possesses several virulence factors that facilitate adhesion, tissue invasion, immune evasion, and nutrient acquisition in the host, contributing to its opportunistic pathogenicity. These factors, often encoded on mobile genetic elements, are more prevalent in hospital-associated lineages and enable persistence in sterile sites such as the bloodstream and urinary tract. Unlike Enterococcus faecalis, E. faecium exhibits a distinct profile with reduced expression of certain toxins but enhanced biofilm-related adhesins.^[34] Adhesins play a critical role in initial host colonization and biofilm formation. The enterococcal surface protein (Esp), a large cell wall-anchored protein, promotes attachment to endothelial cells and extracellular matrix components, enhancing biofilm development on abiotic surfaces like catheters. Esp is enriched in clinical isolates of E. faecium, with prevalence rates up to 57.5% in vancomycin-resistant strains, correlating with increased adherence to host cells in vitro.^[35] Another adhesin, Acm (collagen adhesin), binds to collagen types I and IV, aiding in tissue invasion during endocarditis, and is highly conserved across E. faecium isolates.^[36] Cytolysins contribute to tissue degradation and nutrient release. Gelatinase, encoded by the gelE gene, is a zinc metalloprotease that hydrolyzes gelatin, collagen, and fibrinogen, facilitating bacterial dissemination by breaking down host barriers. The serine protease SprE, co-transcribed with gelE via the fsr quorum-sensing system, modulates biofilm formation and enhances cytolysin activity, though its role is less pronounced in E. faecium compared to E. faecalis. These enzymes are detected in clinical E. faecium strains and support pathogenesis in experimental infection models.^[37] Capsules and cell wall polysaccharides provide a protective barrier against host defenses. E. faecium produces a glycerol teichoic acid-like capsular polysaccharide antigen, consisting of repeating 6-α-D-glucose-1-2 glycerol-3-PO4 units, which is shared with some E. faecalis strains and present in approximately 28% of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium isolates. This capsule resists phagocytosis by inhibiting opsonization and complement activation, promoting survival in the bloodstream and contributing to immune evasion during bacteremia.^[38] Iron acquisition systems enable competition for this essential nutrient in iron-limited host environments. The EfaA lipoprotein, part of the EfaCBA transporter complex, functions as an adhesin and facilitator of iron (and manganese) uptake, upregulated during growth in serum and critical for endocarditis virulence. An efaA-like gene is identified in E. faecium genomes, with prevalence varying in clinical strains, supporting persistence in nutrient-scarce sites like heart valves.^[39] Toxins in E. faecium are less dominant than in E. faecalis but include variable hemolysins. Cytolysin, a two-component pore-forming toxin encoded by cyl genes, is rarely detected in E. faecium and shows limited hemolytic activity, unlike its prominent role in E. faecalis endophthalmitis. Hemolysin production is variable and often absent, with most E. faecium strains exhibiting gamma-hemolysis or non-hemolysis, though some isolates produce hemolysins that lyse erythrocytes and contribute to tissue damage in rare cases.^[40]

Pathogenic Properties

Enterococcus faecium acts as an opportunistic pathogen, predominantly infecting immunocompromised hosts such as elderly individuals, post-surgical patients, and those undergoing cancer treatment or organ transplantation, where disrupted microbiota and weakened immunity facilitate its overgrowth and translocation from the gut.^[34] In these vulnerable populations, the bacterium exploits disruptions in the normal gut flora, often induced by broad-spectrum antibiotics, leading to its dominance and subsequent invasion.^[41] The primary invasion strategy of E. faecium involves translocation across the intestinal mucosa, typically through breaches caused by inflammation, chemotherapy, or surgical interventions, allowing direct entry into the bloodstream via microfold cells or paracellular routes.^[42] Once in the circulation, it undergoes hematogenous spread, disseminating to distant sites and establishing systemic infections, with studies in animal models demonstrating that doses exceeding 10^8 CFU are required for successful peritoneal invasion in healthy hosts, though lower thresholds suffice in immunocompromised ones.^[42] E. faecium evades innate immune defenses by resisting complement-mediated opsonization and exhibiting reduced killing by neutrophils, mechanisms supported by surface polysaccharides that mask opsonin-binding sites and enzymes like superoxide dismutase that neutralize oxidative bursts.^[34] This immune resistance enables prolonged survival in serum and tissues, as evidenced by clinical isolates showing enhanced persistence in neutrophil assays compared to susceptible strains.^[42] The bacterium demonstrates a notable propensity for endocarditis, adhering to damaged or prosthetic heart valves through collagen-binding proteins and forming dense bacterial vegetations that promote embolization and valve destruction, as observed in rat models where esp-positive strains yielded higher vegetation burdens.^[41] This adhesion is particularly effective on fibrin-platelet matrices, contributing to its role in 5-15% of enterococcal infective endocarditis cases.^[43] While E. faecium is generally considered less virulent than E. faecalis in experimental models of systemic infection, it exhibits a stronger association with nosocomial settings, accounting for over 80% of vancomycin-resistant enterococcal healthcare-associated infections in the United States due to its superior adaptation to hospital environments and multidrug resistance profiles.^[44] Recent studies as of 2023 highlight emerging multidrug-resistant clones, such as ST80 and ST117, with increased prevalence of virulence markers like enhanced biofilm formation in hospital settings.^[45]

Antibiotic Resistance

Intrinsic Resistance

Enterococcus faecium exhibits intrinsic resistance to several classes of antibiotics, primarily due to inherent physiological and structural features that limit drug entry, binding, or activity, distinguishing these mechanisms from acquired resistances. This baseline resistance contributes to the organism's survival in diverse environments and complicates initial therapeutic strategies, though it is generally at low to moderate levels. Key intrinsic traits include reduced cell wall permeability, altered target sites, and efflux systems that collectively confer tolerance to agents like beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, and others. The low permeability of the E. faecium cell wall significantly restricts the entry of hydrophilic antibiotics such as beta-lactams and aminoglycosides. For beta-lactams, including cephalosporins, this impermeability, combined with the expression of low-affinity penicillin-binding protein 5 (PBP5), results in minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) typically ranging from 8 to 16 µg/mL for penicillins. Similarly, the cell wall's poor penetration limits low-level aminoglycoside activity, with intrinsic MICs for agents like gentamicin around 4–8 µg/mL, preventing synergistic effects with cell wall-active drugs without additional modifying enzymes. These structural barriers represent a fundamental aspect of enterococcal physiology adapted for gut persistence. Efflux pumps play a crucial role in expelling antibiotics from the cell, contributing to intrinsic resistance in E. faecium. The EfrAB multidrug efflux system, a member of the major facilitator superfamily, actively transports fluoroquinolones such as ciprofloxacin, reducing their intracellular accumulation and conferring moderate resistance (MICs often 4–16 µg/mL). For macrolides, the msr(C) gene encodes an ABC-F family efflux protein that provides low-level resistance by exporting drugs like erythromycin, present in nearly all E. faecium strains regardless of overall resistance phenotype. These pumps enhance the organism's tolerance to environmental antibiotics without requiring genetic acquisition. Enzymatic inactivation mechanisms are less prominent but notable in intrinsic resistance. Beta-lactamases are rare in E. faecium, occurring in fewer than 1% of isolates, unlike in some E. faecalis strains; instead, resistance relies more on the modified PBP5, which has reduced affinity for beta-lactams due to amino acid substitutions in its active site. This alteration allows continued cell wall synthesis in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations, elevating MICs without hydrolytic enzymes. Resistance to lincosamides like clindamycin in E. faecium stems from intrinsic ribosomal modifications and protection mechanisms, though high-level resistance often involves inducible erm(B) methylation of 23S rRNA; baseline susceptibility is low (MICs 4–8 µg/mL) due to poor drug binding at the ribosome. Ribosomal protection proteins, such as those analogous to tet(M) in related systems, can displace clindamycin from its target, further limiting efficacy in intrinsically tolerant strains. Beyond antibiotics, E. faecium demonstrates general tolerance to host defense factors, including lysozyme and bile salts, facilitated by cell wall modifications like teichoic acid amidation that resist enzymatic degradation. This intrinsic resilience to lysozyme (MIC >1,000 µg/mL in some assays) and bile salts (tolerating up to 0.3% concentrations) supports its colonization of the gastrointestinal tract. Additionally, E. faecium is intrinsically susceptible to vancomycin (MICs typically ≤4 µg/mL), though some strains show naturally elevated MICs (up to 8 µg/mL) due to variations in peptidoglycan precursors, which may facilitate the development of acquired resistance via van genes to produce full vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).

Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE)

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) represent a significant subset of multidrug-resistant pathogens, with Enterococcus faecium accounting for the majority of clinical isolates; in the United States, approximately 77% of VRE cases involve E. faecium compared to only 9% for E. faecalis.^[46] This predominance stems from the organism's adaptability and the selective pressure from antibiotic use, leading to a global rise in VRE since their first identification in the mid-1980s.^[47] By the 1990s, VRE had become a major nosocomial threat, with prevalence rates in hospital settings exceeding 20-30% in many regions, driven by clonal expansion of resistant lineages like complex 17 in E. faecium.^[48] The primary mechanisms of vancomycin resistance in E. faecium involve acquired gene clusters, notably VanA and VanB, which are horizontally transferred via mobile genetic elements such as plasmids and transposons.^[49] The prototypical VanA cluster is carried on the Tn1546 transposon, which integrates into plasmids like Inc18 (prevalent in Europe) or pRUM (in the United States), enabling efficient dissemination among bacterial populations.^[50] These clusters reprogram cell wall synthesis by replacing the terminal D-alanine-D-alanine (D-Ala-D-Ala) dipeptide in peptidoglycan precursors with D-alanine-D-lactate (D-Ala-D-Lac), which reduces vancomycin's binding affinity by approximately 1,000-fold and prevents inhibition of peptidoglycan polymerization.^[49] Similarly, the VanB cluster, often associated with Tn1547, Tn1549, or Tn5382 transposons, effects the same peptidoglycan alteration but typically confers lower-level resistance.^[50] Genetically, both clusters encode a suite of genes, including vanH, vanA (or vanB in the VanB type), vanX, vanY, and vanZ, which coordinately modify the cell wall.^[49] The vanH gene encodes a dehydrogenase that reduces pyruvate to D-lactate, vanA ligates D-Ala-D-Lac, and vanX (a D,D-carboxypeptidase) cleaves residual D-Ala-D-Ala precursors to favor the resistant form; vanY and vanZ provide auxiliary functions for enhanced resistance and teicoplanin tolerance in VanA strains.^[49] Expression is inducible by glycopeptide exposure, leading to high-level resistance in VanA phenotypes with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) exceeding 256 µg/mL for vancomycin and teicoplanin, whereas VanB types show MICs of 4-1,000 µg/mL for vancomycin but remain susceptible to teicoplanin unless mutations occur.^[49] Evolutionarily, these clusters likely originated from environmental glycopeptide producers and have been refined through horizontal transfer and selection in E. faecium lineages, contributing to the pathogen's hospital dominance.^[50] Transmission of VRE E. faecium primarily occurs in healthcare settings through direct contact, with contaminated hands of healthcare workers and environmental surfaces (e.g., bed rails, gowns) serving as key vectors; the organism can persist on dry surfaces for weeks and on skin for up to 60 minutes.^[46] Historically, the use of avoparcin—a glycopeptide growth promoter structurally similar to vancomycin—in European animal agriculture from the late 1980s until its ban in 1997 created selective pressure, fostering VRE emergence in livestock reservoirs and facilitating spillover to human populations via the food chain.^[48] This agricultural link accelerated the global spread of VanA-type resistance before regulatory bans reduced animal-associated VRE, though hospital-adapted strains persist independently.^[48] Detection of VRE in E. faecium relies on phenotypic and genotypic methods to guide infection control. Phenotypic testing measures vancomycin MICs using broth microdilution or agar-based methods, with resistance defined as MIC ≥4 µg/mL per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines, though VanA strains often exceed 256 µg/mL.^[51] Genotypic approaches, such as multiplex PCR targeting vanA, vanB, and other cluster genes, provide rapid identification (within hours) and are particularly useful for screening rectal swabs or environmental samples, with sensitivities exceeding 95% for VanA/VanB detection in clinical isolates.^[51] These methods enable early outbreak containment, though challenges arise from heterogeneous expression in some strains.^[51]

Emerging Resistances

In recent years, Enterococcus faecium has developed resistance to key antibiotics used against vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), posing challenges for treatment of multidrug-resistant infections. Linezolid resistance, primarily mediated by the optrA gene encoding a ribosomal protection protein that confers resistance to linezolid and phenicols and the cfr gene causing rRNA methylation, has emerged as a significant concern. The optrA gene is the predominant acquired mechanism, often co-occurring with poxtA or cfr(D) variants in clinical isolates, leading to a 2.5-fold increase in linezolid-resistant enterococci prevalence over the past decade globally.^[52]^[53]^[52] Daptomycin resistance in E. faecium arises from mutations in the liaFSR regulon, which regulates cell membrane stress responses, and alterations in lipid biosynthesis pathways that reduce drug binding. These changes, such as LiaS substitutions, are associated with elevated minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in the susceptibility range and have been linked to treatment failures in bacteremia cases. Although overall rates remain low (typically <5%), incidence is rising in hospital settings, particularly among VRE strains under selective pressure from prolonged therapy.^[54]^[55]^[56] Tigecycline resistance, though rare (prevalence around 1-2% in clinical E. faecium isolates), is primarily efflux-mediated via overexpression of multidrug pumps like Mef(A) or Tet(L), reducing intracellular drug accumulation. This mechanism limits the utility of tigecycline as a last-resort option for severe infections, with genetic determinants often identified through whole-genome sequencing of resistant strains.^[57]^[58]^[59] Multidrug-resistant lineages, particularly the clonal complex 17 (CC17), dominate hospital-associated E. faecium infections and facilitate the spread of resistance through horizontal gene transfer of mobile elements like plasmids and transposons. Pangenome analyses reveal extensive acquisition of resistance genes (e.g., vanA for vancomycin alongside optrA) within CC17, enhancing adaptability in nosocomial environments.^[60]^[48]^[61] As of 2023 EARS-Net data (published 2024), global surveillance indicates escalating VRE rates in E. faecium, with vancomycin resistance in invasive E. faecium isolates showing an increasing EU/EEA-wide trend, high levels (>25%) in many countries, and >50% in some southern/eastern European settings; in Asia, pooled rates are ~8–23%, reaching up to 45% in select regions like India, driven by these emerging resistances amid increased linezolid and daptomycin use. In Europe, ~11% of countries reported invasive VRE levels above 50% based on 2021 data, while Asian cohorts exhibit rising multidrug profiles in bloodstream infections.^[62]^[63]^[64]

Clinical Significance

Infections Caused

Enterococcus faecium is a significant cause of nosocomial infections, accounting for approximately 10-20% of all enterococcal infections in healthcare settings.^[65] It contributes to 35-40% of enterococcal bloodstream isolates, particularly in high-risk environments like intensive care units (ICUs) and transplant wards.^[66] These infections often arise in patients with prolonged hospitalization, invasive devices, or prior antibiotic exposure, with ICU patients and transplant recipients being especially vulnerable due to immunosuppression and disrupted barriers.^[66]^[67] Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent one of the most common manifestations, frequently linked to indwelling catheters where E. faecium ascends from the perineal region as part of the gastrointestinal flora.^[66]^[67] Catheter-associated UTIs account for about 15-20% of hospital-acquired UTIs involving enterococci, often complicating care in elderly or debilitated individuals.^[66] Bacteremia caused by E. faecium typically originates from gastrointestinal translocation, leading to systemic spread and high mortality rates of 26-46%.^[67] It can progress to infective endocarditis, where bacteria form vegetations on heart valves, particularly in older adults or those with prosthetic valves; E. faecium accounts for a notable portion of healthcare-associated cases.^[66]^[67] Intra-abdominal infections, such as peritonitis and abscesses, commonly occur post-surgery or in the context of bowel perforation, with E. faecium often isolated as part of polymicrobial flora requiring source control and targeted therapy.^[66]^[67] Wound and skin infections involve surgical sites, diabetic foot ulcers, and decubitus ulcers, where E. faecium contributes to delayed healing and potential bacteremic dissemination.^[66]^[67] Rarer manifestations include meningitis, typically associated with neurosurgical procedures or shunts, and pneumonia, though these are infrequent compared to other sites.^[66]

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Infections caused by Enterococcus faecium manifest with symptoms that vary by site, often overlapping with those of other bacterial pathogens due to the opportunistic nature of the organism. In cases of bacteremia, patients commonly present with fever exceeding 37.5°C and chills, alongside organ-specific signs if a primary focus such as the urinary tract or abdomen is involved. ^[68] Urinary tract infections (UTIs) typically feature dysuria, frequency, urgency, and hematuria, which may be accompanied by suprapubic pain or nausea in more severe instances. ^[69] Peritonitis associated with E. faecium is characterized by abdominal pain, tenderness, and rebound, potentially with systemic signs like fever. ^[70] Endocarditis presents with classic features including persistent fever, new or changing heart murmurs, fatigue, and embolic phenomena such as splenomegaly or skin lesions. ^[71] Vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VRE) infections exhibit clinical presentations similar to those of susceptible strains, but they pose greater therapeutic challenges and are linked to higher mortality rates, typically ranging from 20% to 40%, particularly in bloodstream infections among immunocompromised patients. ^[72] Diagnosis of E. faecium infections relies primarily on microbiological culture from relevant clinical specimens, such as blood for bacteremia or urine for UTIs, where the organism demonstrates growth within 24 to 48 hours under standard aerobic or facultative anaerobic conditions. ^[66] Species identification is achieved rapidly using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), which offers high accuracy and discriminatory power over traditional biochemical methods like VITEK 2. ^[66] ^[73] Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, essential for guiding therapy especially in suspected VRE cases, is performed via automated systems such as VITEK or broth microdilution to determine minimum inhibitory concentrations. ^[74] Molecular techniques enhance diagnostic precision, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting E. faecium-specific genes and vancomycin resistance determinants like vanA or vanB for rapid VRE detection directly from clinical samples. ^[75] Whole-genome sequencing is increasingly employed for outbreak investigations, enabling strain typing and epidemiological tracking through multilocus sequence typing or core genome analysis. ^[76] Diagnostic challenges include the organism's suboptimal growth in certain media like Mueller-Hinton broth during susceptibility testing, which may delay results, and the frequent polymicrobial nature of infections (e.g., in intra-abdominal sites), complicating isolation and attribution to E. faecium. ^[74] ^[41]

Epidemiology

Enterococcus faecium ranks as the second most common nosocomial enterococcal pathogen, following E. faecalis, and is a leading cause of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections, and surgical site infections worldwide.^[77] Vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VREfm) accounts for a significant portion of these cases, with prevalence among enterococcal isolates in US hospitals estimated at up to 30% by the CDC, while in the European Union, rates vary widely but reach 10-30% in many countries.^[78]^[64] The global burden is exacerbated by its multidrug resistance, contributing to higher mortality rates in bloodstream infections compared to susceptible strains.^[79] Geographically, VREfm prevalence is higher in Europe and parts of Asia due to historical factors like the legacy use of avoparcin in animal feed, which selected for vancomycin resistance until its EU ban in 2006, though residual effects persist in some regions.^[80] In contrast, community settings show lower rates globally, with infections predominantly nosocomial.^[5] Asian countries report variable but often elevated resistance, influenced by antibiotic use patterns, while North America sees consistent hospital-based transmission.^[81] Key risk factors for E. faecium infections include antibiotic overuse, particularly third-generation cephalosporins, which lack activity against enterococci and promote overgrowth; prolonged hospitalization; presence of central venous catheters; and immunosuppression from conditions like chemotherapy or organ transplantation.^[82]^[66] These factors facilitate colonization and subsequent invasive disease in vulnerable patients. Outbreaks of E. faecium typically occur in hospital clusters, driven by environmental transmission via fomites such as contaminated surfaces and equipment, with ICU room cultures remaining positive for VRE in 10-50% of cases post-cleaning.^[83] The food-animal link has diminished since the 2006 EU avoparcin ban, reducing zoonotic contributions to human infections.^[84] As of 2025, multidrug resistance in E. faecium continues to rise, with WHO GLASS reports indicating increasing AMR trends across monitored pathogens, including enterococci, based on over 23 million cases from 104 countries.^[85] The clonal complex 17 (CC17) remains dominant among hospital-adapted VREfm isolates globally, driving the spread of resistance genes like vanA.^[86]

Treatment and Control

Therapeutic Approaches

For susceptible strains of Enterococcus faecium, which are relatively uncommon due to frequent intrinsic resistance, ampicillin or penicillin G remains the primary treatment option, typically administered intravenously at doses of 2 g every 4 hours for ampicillin in severe infections.^[87] In cases of endocarditis, combination therapy with gentamicin (1 mg/kg every 8 hours) is added for synergistic bactericidal activity, though monitoring for nephrotoxicity is essential.^[66] Treatment durations vary by infection site, generally spanning 4 to 6 weeks for endocarditis and 7 to 14 days for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) or bacteremia.^[88] Vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VRE) infections require alternative agents, with linezolid (600 mg intravenously or orally every 12 hours) and daptomycin (8 to 12 mg/kg intravenously once daily, 10-12 mg/kg for bloodstream infections) as first-line options, demonstrating comparable efficacy in clinical outcomes. The 2024 CLSI guidelines introduced a susceptible dose-dependent (SDD) category for daptomycin against E. faecium (MIC ≤4 mg/L), supporting high-dose use for such isolates.^[87]^[89] Tigecycline (100 mg loading dose followed by 50 mg every 12 hours intravenously) serves as a salvage therapy for complicated intra-abdominal or skin infections, while quinupristin-dalfopristin (7.5 mg/kg intravenously every 8 hours) was historically effective against E. faecium VRE but has been discontinued in many regions since 2022.^[88] For UTIs and bacteremia caused by VRE, durations are typically 7 to 14 days, whereas endocarditis treatment extends to 4 to 6 weeks, guided by susceptibility testing and clinical response.^[66] Supportive care, including source control through drainage or device removal, is integral to improving outcomes.^[87] Therapeutic challenges include high minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to standard agents, potential nephrotoxicity from synergistic aminoglycosides, and the formation of biofilms that necessitate combination therapies for enhanced penetration and efficacy.^[88] Emerging options like tedizolid (200 mg orally or intravenously daily) and oritavancin (1,200 mg intravenously as a single dose for skin infections) show promise in vitro and limited clinical data for VRE, with ongoing evaluations for broader use.^[66] Phage therapy, particularly in compassionate use and trials such as the EVREA-Phage project targeting intestinal VRE colonization in immunocompromised patients, represents a novel approach under investigation as of 2025, with preclinical studies demonstrating synergy with antibiotics.^[90]

Infection Prevention

Preventing the transmission and colonization of Enterococcus faecium, particularly vancomycin-resistant strains (VRE), relies on multifaceted strategies in healthcare settings and communities to interrupt spread. In hospitals, where most infections occur, core measures include rigorous hand hygiene protocols. Alcohol-based hand rubs are highly effective for routine decontamination, reducing nosocomial transmission of VRE by up to 40% when compliance is improved, as they rapidly kill enterococci on hands.^[91] However, in cases of co-infection with Clostridium difficile, soap and water handwashing is preferred over alcohol rubs, as the latter does not eliminate C. difficile spores, potentially allowing concurrent pathogen spread.^[92] Isolation practices form a cornerstone of hospital-based prevention. Contact precautions, including the use of gloves and gowns upon entering rooms of VRE-colonized or infected patients, significantly limit environmental contamination and patient-to-patient transmission.^[93] Cohorting—in grouping VRE-positive patients together under dedicated staff—further minimizes cross-contamination in high-prevalence units like intensive care, with studies showing reduced incidence during outbreaks when implemented.^[94] Active surveillance enhances detection and containment efforts. Routine screening via rectal swabs or stool samples identifies asymptomatic carriers, enabling early isolation; the CDC recommends this in endemic settings to curb institutional spread.^[95] Decolonization using daily chlorhexidine baths has demonstrated efficacy in reducing VRE acquisition by 25% in high-risk populations, such as ICU patients, though relapse rates may necessitate repeated applications.^[96] Antibiotic stewardship programs are essential to prevent selective pressure favoring VRE emergence. Restricting broad-spectrum antibiotics like cephalosporins and vancomycin, through prospective audit and feedback, has lowered VRE infection rates by decreasing gut overgrowth of resistant enterococci.^[97] Environmental controls target persistent contamination. Terminal room cleaning with EPA-registered disinfectants removes VRE from high-touch surfaces, while supplemental ultraviolet (UV) disinfection can inactivate up to 99.9% of viable enterococci, though efficacy varies by strain tolerance and requires validation in use.^[98]^[99] In community outbreaks linked to contaminated food—though rare for pathogenic E. faecium—prevention emphasizes proper cooking, hygiene during handling, and avoiding cross-contamination to mitigate risks from environmental reservoirs.^[100]

Tolerance to Disinfectants

Enterococcus faecium exhibits notable tolerance to alcohol-based disinfectants, such as 70% ethanol and isopropanol, which are staples in hospital hand hygiene protocols. Hospital isolates collected after 2010 demonstrate approximately 10-fold greater resistance to these agents compared to earlier strains, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) often exceeding levels used in standard hand rubs. This reduced susceptibility arises from genomic adaptations, including mutations in genes encoding a cell-wall-anchored protein and proteins involved in membrane lipid metabolism, which collectively lower membrane fluidity and enhance structural integrity against alcohol-induced damage.^[101]^[102]^[103] The bacterium also displays resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), common in surface disinfectants, primarily through efflux mechanisms mediated by qac genes, such as qacZ and smr, often carried on transferable plasmids. These genes encode small multidrug resistance proteins that actively pump QACs out of the cell, reducing intracellular accumulation and conferring tolerance at concentrations encountered in clinical settings. Although E. faecium is generally more susceptible to in-use QAC levels than other gram-positive pathogens, the presence of these mobile elements in hospital-adapted strains facilitates rapid dissemination of resistance.^[104]^[105]^[106] Underlying these tolerances are broader stress response mechanisms, including the sigma factor regulon that mitigates oxidative damage from disinfectants, and non-spore-forming persistence strategies akin to persister cells, enabling prolonged viability under sublethal exposure. Vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VRE) strains exhibit 2-4 log higher survival rates against alcohol disinfectants than susceptible counterparts, undermining the efficacy of hand sanitizers and contributing to persistent environmental contamination in healthcare facilities.^[107]^[108]^[101]

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