Enterococcal Endocarditis

BACTERIAL endocarditis due to penicillin-sensitive streptococci has generally responded satisfactorily to antimicrobial therapy. In contrast, endocarditis resulting from penicillin-resistant streptococci, usually of the enterococcal group, has continued to cause significant therapeutic problems.Enterococci produce 5 to 15 per cent of all cases of bacterial endocarditis, and this incidence may be increasing.1 These organisms, which are relatively resistant to penicillin, may produce alpha, beta or gamma hemolysis. For this reason they are occasionally confused with penicillin-sensitive Streptococcus viridans or Group A streptococci. There are, however, several biologic characteristics that permit their differentiation from other streptococci. Among the most important are relative . . .