ABSTRACT

This chapter provides state-of-the-art overviews on foodborne diseases caused by enterococcus in relation to their etiology, biology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The term "enterococcus" was first used by M.E. Thiercelin and L. Jouhand in 1899 to describe a new gram-positive diplococcus of intestinal origin. In subsequent years, organisms resembling enterococcus have been identified from human cases of endocarditis, and named "micrococcus" or "streptococcus" by different authors. Enterococcus is a bacterial genus that has come to relevance not only at an epidemiological level but also in terms of evolution. Enterococci are ubiquitous in different environments due to their ability to survive under extreme conditions. The mechanism through which the enterococcus changes from a commensal organism to a pathogen is poorly defined. The enterococcus can colonize different areas via exogenous transmission. It can be transmitted from the health worker's hands or contaminated medical instruments, as catheters, to areas of infection.