FAECIUM Meaning and
Definition
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Faecium, also known as Enterococcus faecium, is a bacterium that belongs to the family Enterococcaceae. It is a gram-positive, facultative anaerobic microorganism that typically inhabits the intestines of humans and animals. Faecium is commonly found in fecal matter, sewage, and soil.
As an opportunistic pathogen, faecium can cause a wide range of infections, particularly in individuals with compromised immune systems or underlying health conditions. It is known to be resistant to many antibiotics, making it a challenging bacterium to treat. Faecium is particularly notorious for its resistance to the antibiotic vancomycin, leading to the development of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) strains.
In the field of medicine, faecium is clinically significant as it can cause infections such as urinary tract infections, septicemia (bloodstream infection), endocarditis (infection of the heart valves), and surgical site infections. Due to its resistance to multiple antibiotics, including those considered last-resort options, faecium infections can be difficult to treat and may result in increased morbidity and mortality rates.
Overall, faecium is an enteric bacterium that can have both beneficial and pathogenic properties. While it is a naturally occurring microorganism in the human microbiome, it can also be a challenging healthcare-associated pathogen that requires effective infection control measures and appropriate antibiotic stewardship for its management.
Etymology of FAECIUM
The word "faecium" is derived from the Latin term "faex" (or "fæx") which means "dregs" or "sediment". "Faecium" itself is the neuter form of the adjective "faecius", meaning "pertaining to dregs" or "of the dregs". This word is often seen as a suffix in taxonomic names of microorganisms, such as the bacterium Enterococcus faecium, which was originally isolated from the feces of animals.
