Enterococcus faecalis as a cause of infective endocarditis - systematic review of case reports

Introduction: Enterococcus bacteria account for nearly 10% of infective endocarditis (IE), making it the fifth most common cause. Many cases of enterococcal IE have been described. Aim of the research: To systematically review these case reports and try to find common features characterising IE caused by E nterococcus faecalis . Methods: In December 2022, the PubMed, EBSCO, and OVID databases were searched. The final analysis included 28 publications yielding data on E. faecalis IE, taken from 89 reported cases. Results and conclusions: The systematic review revealed an enhanced mortality rate due to multiple organ failure in patients with prosthetic valves and numerous comorbidities. The presence of an artificial valve was associated with an atypical course of E. faecalis IE. This was similar in patients who had a history of cancer. Moreover, it was observed that E. faecalis IE in people < 60 years old was mostly associated with either an atypical presentation or another disease manifestation.