Sketchy Micro: Enterococcus

Question 1

What are the two species of Enterococcus?

Answer 1

E. faecalis (“the CALIfornia caucus”)

E. faecium (“stop the FEES”)

Question 2

The Enterococci can, uniquely, grow in ___________.

Answer 2

6.5% NaCl (like the protester with the sign against the 6.5% tax in N. Californi)

Question 3

Which Enterococci is bile resistant?

Answer 3

E. faecium (which you can remember because the protester is wearing the bile-resistant boots and the cop’s BILly club can’t hurt him); because of this, it can colonize the biliary tree

Question 4

Which three infections are commonly caused by Enterococci?

Answer 4

UTIs
Endocarditis
Biliary tree

(Think of the “Do U HEART TREEs?” sign that the protesters are holding.)

Question 5

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium can be treated with ______________.

Answer 5

linezolid (the police LINE encircling the protesters) or tigecycline (the tiger-striped tape near the van)