Objective: This study investigated distribution of enterococci colonizing intestinal tract of infants, their putative virulence factors and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Methods: A total of 82/186 (44.1%) fecal enterococcal isolates were recovered from infants. All enterococci isolates were identified either E. faecalis or E. faecium using culture and PCR. Results: A significant higher intestinal colonization of enterococci was detected among non-hospitalized compared to hospitalized patients with a percentage of (72 % vs. 28%), respectively. E. faecalis was the predominant species isolated from both groups (75.6%). It had also significantly higher virulence factors genes than E. faecium, while E. faecium had higher rates of antimicrobial resistance than E. faecalis. There was no significant factor related to intestinal colonization of enterococci with birth weight, gestational age of mother, gender, type of feeding, present of disease or administration of antibiotics to mothers or infants. Conclusion: This study presents important epidemiological data on the intestinal colonization of enterococci in both hospitalized and nonhospitalized Jordanian infants.

The emergence of antibiotic resistance in potential bacterial pathogens is considered as an important consequence of antibiotic misuse and overuse in humans and animals. In addition, lacks of adequate knowledge about proper using of antimicrobial drugs as well as infectioncontrol practice in hospital and medical care settings have led to the continuing development of extensive antimicrobial resistance problems worldwide. Certain multidrug-resistant commensal and potential pathogens are now widely spread in community and hospital patients. Examples are meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistance enterococcci (VRE), extended-spectrum β-lactamase and carbapenemase-producing coliforms, floroquinolone-resistant and toxin-hyperproducing Clostridium difficile. During the last decade, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium were the most prevalent species cultured from human infections. Incidence of resistant to multiple antibiotics in these two species has become increasingly common in the hospitalized patients all over the world, particularly E. faecium is reported to be responsible for most vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infections. This short review is focusing on the recent emergence of antimicrobial resistance among enterococci isolates from infants and the available option of their infection treatment.