Advance in Enterococcal Virulence Factors

Enterococcus are commensals of the intestinal tract of humans and animals and major opportunistic pathogens.In recent years,because of abuse of antibiotics and immunity preparation,and increasing of invasive treatment,especially the third cephalosporins,leading to enterococcal infections incessantly raising,enterococci have become major nosocomial opportunistic pathogens.The pathogenic mechanism of enterococci is relative to the virulence factors Esp,cyl,gelE,et al,which coded by Pathogenicity Island(PAI).The pathogenic mechanism of enterococci is not determined by single but multi-virulence factors.This review described the biological characteristics and the pathogenicity of enterococcal virulence factors.These can provide directions to prevent and control the enterococcal infections.