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Enterococcus

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Molecular Typing in Bacterial Infections

Part of the book series: Infectious Disease ((ID))

Abstract

The enterococci are gram-positive bacteria widely distributed in nature, presenting either as harmless commensals or multifaceted opportunistic pathogens recognized among the leading causes of nosocomial infections. The introduction of molecular typing techniques, including PFGE, as well as MLST and MLVA, and other PCR based-methodologies, has substantially improved the ability to discriminate enterococcal isolates and has provided critical insights into the epidemiology of the enterococci. Exogenous acquisition of enterococcal strains by direct and indirect contact among patients has been demonstrated, breaking the traditional conception that enterococcal infections are endogenous in nature. Intrahospital transmission and interhospital spread have been extensively documented for antimicrobial resistant enterococci, especially VRE. In addition to epidemiological investigations, some of the molecular typing techniques that are now used to trace the dissemination of enterococci in different environments and hosts, and the evolution of multidrug-resistant strains, greatly expand our understanding of enterococcal epidemiology, population structure, antimicrobial resistance, and virulence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Microbiologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Bloco I, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil

    Lúcia Martins Teixeira Ph.D.

  2. Departamento Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20551-030, Brazil

    Vânia Lúcia Carreira Merquior Ph.D.

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  1. Lúcia Martins Teixeira Ph.D.
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  2. Vânia Lúcia Carreira Merquior Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Lúcia Martins Teixeira Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Nacional de Controle de, Qualidade em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, 21045-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Ivano de Filippis

  2. Microbiology, BioReliance Corporation, Broschart Road 14920, Rockville, 20850, Maryland, USA

    Marian L. McKee

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Teixeira, L.M., Merquior, V.L.C. (2013). Enterococcus . In: de Filippis, I., McKee, M. (eds) Molecular Typing in Bacterial Infections. Infectious Disease. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-185-1_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-185-1_2

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-62703-184-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-62703-185-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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