where is enterococcus faecalis found in the body
Enterococcus faecalis Enterococcus faecalis – formerly classified as part of the group D Streptococcus system – is a Gram-positive, commensal bacterium inhabiting the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and other mammals.[1] Like other species in the genus Enterococcus, E. faecalis can cause life-threatening infections in humans, especially in the nosocomial (hospital) environment, where the naturally high levels of antibiotic resistance found in E. faecalis contribute to its pathogenicity.[1] E. faecalis has been frequently found in root canal-treated teeth in prevalence values ranging from 30% to 90% of the cases.[2] Root canal-treated teeth are about nine times more likely to harbor E. faecalis than cases of primary infections.[3]