Enterococcus Faecalis as an Etiological Factor of Purulent Processes in Surgical Patients: Analysis of Bacteriological Research Results

Abstract

Introduction. Opportunistic infections are often caused by microorganisms that are part of the normal human body microflora. Studying the role of microbiota in infectious pathology and the mechanisms of interaction between opportunistic microorganisms in microbial associations is crucial. Enterococcus faecalis is one such microorganism found in bacterial associations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency of detecting E. faecalis in monoculture and as part of associations, the qualitative and quantitative composition of these associations, and the analysis of the variability in the pathogen’s susceptibility to antibiotics. Results and discussion. Out of 123 samples studied, Enterococcus bacteria were cultured in 38 cases, accounting for 30.9%. E. faecalis was isolated in monoculture in only 24.2% of all cultures of this species. Moreover, it was isolated in clinically significant concentrations (≥105 bacterial cells per 1 ml of the studied material) in only four out of eight cases. There is a difference in the susceptibility of cultures for groups of isolates where the concentration of microorganisms in the test material is <105 and ≥105 microbial cells per 1 ml. Conclusion. E. faecalis was present in 26.8% of isolates obtained from patients in the surgical department with purulent-inflammatory diseases. E. faecalis is mainly found in microbial associations. The susceptibility of E. faecalis to most of the antibiotics used in the study is higher in the group of isolates where this species of microorganism was present in concentrations equal to or higher than 105 microbial cells per 1 ml of the test material.