Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica
Abstract
Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Biology.Enterococcus faecalis is a firmicute of the human gastrointestinal tract
(GIT) core-microbiome. This commensal bacterium is one of the first to
colonize the GIT of humans after birth and remains associated with the
adult human gut microbiota at sub-dominant levels. Although harmless,
certain strains can become pathogenic in immune-compromised and
elderly patients causing urinary tract infections, bacteremia and infective
endocarditis. This bacterial species has been recognized as an
opportunistic pathogen for several decades, and now ranks as a major
cause of hospital-acquired infections worldwide.(...
