The population-level impact of Enterococcus faecalis genetics on intestinal colonization and extraintestinal infection

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2023

Authors

Chaguza, C (Author) Other; Pöntinen, K (Author) Other; Top, J (Author) Other; Arredondo Alonso, S (Author) Other; Freitas, R (Author) Other; Novais, Carla (Author) FFUP; Torres, C (Author) Other; Bentley, D (Author) Other; Luisa Peixe (Author) FFUP; Coque, M (Author) Other; Willems, JL (Author) Other; Corander, J (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Microbiology spectrum

Vol. 11

ISSN: 2165-0497

Publisher: American Society for Microbiology

Indexing

Scopus - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00Y-3F0

DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00201-23

Abstract (EN): IMPORTANCE: Enterococcus faecalis causes life-threatening invasive hospital- and community-associated infections that are usually associated with multidrug resistance globally. Although E. faecalis infections cause opportunistic infections typically associated with antibiotic use, immunocompromised immune status, and other factors, they also possess an arsenal of virulence factors crucial for their pathogenicity. Despite this, the relative contribution of these virulence factors and other genetic changes to the pathogenicity of E. faecalis strains remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether specific genomic changes in the genome of E. faecalis isolates influence its pathogenicity-infection of hospitalized and nonhospitalized individuals and the propensity to cause extraintestinal infection and intestinal colonization. Our findings indicate that E. faecalis genetics partially influence the infection of hospitalized and nonhospitalized individuals and the propensity to cause extraintestinal infection, possibly due to gut-to-bloodstream translocation, highlighting the potential substantial role of host and environmental factors, including gut microbiota, on the opportunistic pathogenic lifestyle of this bacterium.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific