Enterococcus faecium

Enterococcus faecium is a commensal bacterium, classified as gram-positive, which ordinarily resides in the gastrointestinal system of humans and animals. This type of organisms can potentially bring about severe illnesses - including endocarditis, bacteremia, and infections of the urinary tract. Notably, Enterococcus faecium exhibits opportunistic pathogenicity, primarily in those hosts with weak immune systems, leading to an urgent demand for comprehensive studies on this bacterium.

Epidemiology

Enterococcal Disease

In the context of worldwide healthcare establishments, Enterococcus faecium has become significantly detrimental.

• The bacterium not only populates the digestive system of a wide range of animals and insects, but its robust nature also enables it to thrive in diverse environments like freshwater, marine sediments, and sand.
• Cases of hospital-acquired infections have been linked with Enterococcus faecium, specifically prevalent among gravely sick patients and those who have undergone prolonged hospital stays and antibiotic treatment.
• The bacterium exhibits the capacity for horizontal propagation, which enhances its potential involvement in epidemic situations.
• It is responsible for multiple types of diseases, most commonly urinary tract infections, soft tissue infections, bacteraemia, and endocarditis.

Antibiotic Resistance

The antibiotic resistance demonstrated by Enterococcus faecium has emerged as a significant concern for public health. Its proficiency for retaining, acquiring, and disseminating resistance genes- particularly relating to vancomycin, fuels the fast-paced evolution of multidrug-resistant strains. Noteworthy resistance mechanisms from Enterococci include,

• Penicillin and ampicillin-resistant strains, resultant from low-affinity PBPs and β-lactamase production.
• Enterococcus with high resistance to aminoglycoside due to aminoglycoside inactivating enzymes.
• Enterococci resistant to vancomycin, chiefly because of lowered binding efficiency with vancomycin, resulting from the alteration of the vancomycin-target binding site (from D-alanine-D-alanine to either D-alanine-D-lactate or D-alanine-D-serine).

Treatment Options

Antibiotic therapy

Linezolid and daptomycin are presently deemed the most potent antibiotics, however, their potential resistance should not be disregarded. The effectiveness of new drugs, such as tedizolid and dalbavancin against resistant strains are still being examined.

Non-antibiotic therapy

• Immune modulation
• Bacteriophage therapy
• Targeted quorum sensing therapy

Our Capabilities

At Ace Therapeutics, we take pride in our proficient team of researchers specializing in microbiology and pharmaceutical studies. We leverage industry-leading laboratories in our quest to devise potent treatment strategies against multi-drug resistant strains. Our research scope encompasses everything from antimicrobial agents to the creation of adaptive immunological and phage therapy.

In Conclusion

We stand at a crucial juncture in the war against antibiotic resistance and infections associated with healthcare facilities. The ongoing research in the field of E. faecalis is a cornerstone step towards understanding basic biology and the intricacies of antibiotic resistance. Ace Therapeutics eagerly invites you to collaborate with our team dedicated to the development of advanced therapy for E. faecium!

Reference

1. Miller WR; et al. (2014). Mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in enterococci. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 12(10):1221-36.