title: Incidence of hemolysin, gelatinase, and aggregation substance among enterococci isolated from patients with endocarditis and other infections and from feces of hospitalized and community-based persons.
abstract: The presence of hemolysin, gelatinase, and aggregation substance (by use of a probe known to hybridize to most pheromone-responsive plasmids) was determined in 192 isolates of Enterococcus faecalis from patients with endocarditis or other infections and fecal isolates from hospitalized patients or healthy volunteers, and in 86 non-E. faecalis isolates. Hemolysin was more common in nonendocarditis clinical isolates and in hospital fecal isolates (37% and 31%, respectively) than among endocarditis and community fecal isolates (16% and 20%, respectively). Gelatinase and aggregation substance, respectively, were found in 54% and 52% of isolates from endocarditis, in 58% and 72% of isolates from other infections, in 62% and 56% of hospital fecal isolates, and in 27% and 30% of fecal isolates from healthy volunteers. All 86 non-E. faecalis enterococcal isolates were negative for these traits. The absence of hemolysin, gelatinase, or the aggregation substance gene in > 45% of endocarditis E. faecalis isolates suggests that while these traits may play a role in virulence, other properties are also important.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical School, Houston 77030, USA.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Coque
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Steckelberg
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D015415:Biomarkers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D018093:Gelatinases / Q000032:analysis*; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000494:pharmacology; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D009928:Organ Specificity; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005839:Gentamicins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D012724:Sex Attractants; C065937:aggregation substance, Enterococcus faecalis; D018093:Gelatinases; D013307:Streptomycin