Enterococci

A 68-year-old man with diabetes mellitus presents with dysuria, frequency, and suprapubic pain for 3 days. He has a history of recurrent urinary tract infections. Urinalysis shows pyuria and bacteriuria. Urine culture grows gram-positive cocci in chains that are catalase-negative and α-hemolytic on blood agar. The organism is resistant to vancomycin but susceptible to ampicillin. What is the most likely organism?

A 52-year-old woman with mitral valve prolapse presents with fever (38.9°C), new cardiac murmur, and malaise for 2 weeks. She reports recent dental work. Blood cultures grow gram-positive cocci in chains that are α-hemolytic, PYR-positive, and resistant to vancomycin but susceptible to ampicillin and high-dose penicillin. Echocardiography shows vegetations on the mitral valve. What is the most appropriate antibiotic therapy for this infection?

Which of the following virulence factors is most commonly associated with Enterococcus faecalis and is responsible for biofilm formation and adherence to host tissues?

Enterococci are intrinsically resistant to which of the following antibiotics due to their altered penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs)?