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Challenges in the Eradication of Enterococcus faecalis and its Implications on Health

  • Microbiology (M Klein, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

ᅟ

Enterococcus faecalis is frequently found in infected root canals of teeth with persistent apical periodontitis.

Purpose

To review the challenges involved in the eradication of persistent Enterococcus faecalis infections and their impact on human health.

Recent Findings

In the root canal system, Enterococcus faecalis resides in biofilm communities that are able to resist a wide range of harsh conditions and treatments and persist for years. Various virulence and resistance factors provide Enterococcus faecalis capabilities in adherence, colonization, and biofilm formation, which is much more resistant to antibacterial agents than planktonic bacteria. These capabilities explain its persistence in root canal infections. To date, the available therapeutic tools to efficiently eradicate Enterococcus faecalis infections remain limited. Recently, in a model mimicking Enterococcus faecalis root canal infection, novel biofilm inhibitors and dispersing agents, such as D-Leucine, presented superior capability over sodium hypochlorite, the frequently used root-canal antibacterial irrigation solution, in the eradication of Enterococcus faecalis.

Summary

These recent studies present promising treatment regimens for Enterococcus faecalis persistent infections.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endodontology, Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Eyal Rosen & Igor Tsesis

  2. Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

    Ilana Kolodkin-Gal

Authors
  1. Eyal Rosen
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  2. Ilana Kolodkin-Gal
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  3. Igor Tsesis
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Correspondence to Eyal Rosen.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Microbiology

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Rosen, E., Kolodkin-Gal, I. & Tsesis, I. Challenges in the Eradication of Enterococcus faecalis and its Implications on Health. Curr Oral Health Rep 5, 70–77 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40496-018-0172-4

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