Abstract
Enterococcus gallinarum is a common colonizer of the gastrointestinal tract that expresses intrinsic vancomycin
resistance. This case report describes an E. gallinarum ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt infection in a pediatric patient. A 4-year-old female
patient presented with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures from a VP shunt significant
for E. gallinarum. The patient received ampicillin and synergistic gentamicin. She completed a total
of 16 days of therapy following 2 weeks of negative CSF and blood cultures with full
clinical cure of infection. The patient was successfully treated following a 2-week
course of antibiotics. Awareness of Enterococcus species with intrinsic vancomycin resistance should be increased.
Keywords
Enterococcus
- ventriculoperitoneal shunt - meningitis