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Enigmatic Enterococcal Endocarditis
- W. MICHAEL SCHELD, M.D.; and
- GERALD L. MANDELL, M.D.
Excerpt
Enterococci are isolated from 10% to 15% of patients with endocarditis (1-3) and rank as the third commonest cause of endocarditis, behind viridans streptococci and Staphylococcus aureus (3). These group D streptococci (Lancefield classification) differ physiologically from most other streptococci by their ability to grow in media containing 40% bile and to cleave esculin. Enterococci are distinguished from nonenterococcal group D organisms (that is, S. bovis or S. equinus) by their growth in broth containing 6.5% sodium chloride. Enterococcal endocarditis is usually caused by S. faecalis and rarely by S. faecium or S. durans.
Therapy for patients with enterococcal endocarditis
This 100-word excerpt has been provided in the absence of an abstract.
Acknowledgments
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Grant support: Dr. Scheld is the recipient of a Clinical Investigator Award (K08-00517) from the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
