Enterococcal bacteremia has acquired considerable importance in recent years, mainly due to an increased number of cases that occur during hospital admission. We describe the episodes of enterococcal bacteremia in adult patients recorded at our hospital. Between January 2000 and December 2013, 117 episodes were analyzed. Sixty one percent (61%) of the patients were male and 39% female. The mean age was 68. Predisposing factors were present in 91% of patients. The primary source of infection was intraabdominal. Enterococcus faecalis was responsible for 65% of the cases; E. faecium for 28%; and other species for 7%. Thirty four percent (34%) of cases were polymicrobial bacteremia. All E. faecalis isolates were susceptible to ampicillin and vancomycin. Eighty eight percent (88%) of E. faecium were resistant to ampicillin and 54% to vancomycin and teicoplanin. In our hospital, Enterococcus is the sixth pathogen causing nosocomial bacteremia, with high incidence of ampicillin and vancomycin-resistant E. faecium.

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