How Do You Get Enterococcus Faecalis Infection?

Enterococcus faecalis is a bacteria that lives in your gut and is spread through fecal-oral transmission. Learn about how to prevent infection

Enterococcus faecalis is a bacteria that lives in the gut and is eliminated in feces. Infection is caused by fecal-oral transmission (spread of infection from feces to the mouth) and cannot be transmitted by coughing or sneezing. The bacteria can live in the mouth and vagina as well.

If an infected person does not wash their hands properly after using the restroom, the bacteria can spread to surfaces such as doorknobs, phones, and utensils. Infection can then spread to someone who touches these infected surfaces and does not wash their hands before eating or touching their mouth. 

Enterococci commonly cause nosocomial or hospital-acquired infections. Infections are primarily seen in severely ill people who had a prolonged hospital stay and/or have taken multiple antibiotics. Infection can spread in hospitals in various ways:

• Health care workers who do not properly wash their hands can transmit the infection to patients. 
• Additionally, infection can spread to patients through contaminated medical devices such as catheters, dialysis ports, and endoscopes. 
• Enterococcal infection can spread through wounds including surgical wounds.

People who are particularly vulnerable to enterococcal infections include those who have weak immunity due to:

• Cancer
• Organ transplants
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Long-term immunosuppressants