title: Survival, distribution, and translocation of Enterococcus faecalis and implications for pregnant mice.
abstract: Pregnant mothers are susceptible to bacterial infections, which may compromise the health of mothers and offspring. Enterococcus faecalis is a ubiquitous species found in food, restaurants, and hospitals where pregnant woman frequently become exposed to this bacterium. However, the survival, distribution, translocation, and corresponding influence of E. faecalis have not been investigated during the pregnancy period, when the mother and fetus are susceptible to bacterial infection. In this study, a fluorescing E. faecalis strain was used to track the fate of the bacterium in pregnant mice. Orally administered E. faecalis were found to survive and disseminate to all regions of the intestinal tract. It also altered the bacterial community structure by significantly decreasing the diversity of Lactobacillus species, impairing the normal structure and function of the intestinal barrier, which may contribute to the bacterial translocation into the blood, spleen, placenta, and fetus. This may affect fetal and placental growth and development.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang, China; Jiangxi-OAI Joint Research Institute, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
authors.forename: Qianglai
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Hengyi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zoraida P
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.forename: Youjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Suqin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Tingtao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D050296:Microbial Viability; D010920:Placenta / Q000382:microbiology; D010929:Placentation; D011247:Pregnancy
keywords: Enterococcus faecalis; fetus; intestinal barrier function; pregnancy; translocation