Insights into Airway Infections by Enterococci: A Review

Vincenzo Savini, Giovanni Gherardi, Daniela Astolfi, Ennio Polilli, Giordano Dicuonzo, Claudio D'Amario, Paolo Fazii; Domenico D'Antonio

doi:10.2174/157489112799829774

Abstract

Enterococcus is an uncommon but emerging agent of upper and lower airway diseases, including sinuses, trachea, bronchi, lung and pleural infections. In particular, pneumonia and thoracic empyema may jeopardize the clinical outcome of compromised, hospitalized hosts, as well as affect outpatients. Treatment may feel the effects of inherent and acquired resistances such organisms show to commonly used drugs, with the spread of glycopeptide/vancomycin resistant enterococci (GRE/VRE, respectively) being of serious concern.

With this work, we want to unearth the impact of members of the genus in the ambit of respiratory infections, and to increase the consciousness of their role as resourceful pathogens for human airways. Also, we are revising patents of interest aiming to timely screen GRE and soon provide clinicians with speciation and glycopeptide resistances.

Keywords: vancomycin VRE, Enterococcus, glycopeptides, GRE, lung, pneumonia, teicoplanin, Streptococcus bovis, AIRWAY DISEASE