ABSTRACT
Enterococci are Gram positive ovoid or spherical cells; occurring in pairs, clusters or in short-chains. They do not form endospores, some of them are motile.
Scientiϐic classiϐication Kingdom: Bacteria Division: Firmicutes Class: Cocci Order: Lactobacillales Family: Enterococcaceae Genus: Enterococcus
This genus previously belonged to the Lancefi eld’s serological group D streptococci; later they were sub-divided into three separate genera: Streptococcus, Lactococcus and Enterococcus based on modern classifi cation techniques and serological studies (Schleifer and Klipper-Balz 1984, Devriese et al. 1993). The pathogenic species remained in the genus Streptococcus with the exception of Streptococcus thermophilus, they were separated from the non pathogenic and technically important species of the new genera Lactococcus
# Department of Milk Hygiene and Technology, Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences University Brno, Palackeho 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic.
