Clostridioides difficile and Enterococci’s Interplay in the Human Gut: Bacterial Alliance or Competition? A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Clostridioides difficile and Enterococcus spp. are two common bacterial pathogens populating the human microbiota. We possess scant data on how Clostridioides difficile interacts with Enterococcus spp. in the gut microbiota in subjects colonized with Clostridioides difficile or during a Clostridioides difficile infection. We carried out a systematic review of studies on Enterococcus spp. and Clostridioides difficile’s interaction in the gut microbiota and on the effect of Enterococcus spp. gut colonization on CDI development. Studies on Enterococcus spp. and Clostridioides difficile’s interaction in the gut microbiota and on the effect of Enterococcus spp. gut colonization on CDI were searched using the search terms “clostridium”, “clostridioides”, “difficile” and “enterococcus” on the MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases. PubMed was searched until 1 May 2023. An English language restriction was applied. The risk of bias in the included studies was not assessed. Quantitative and qualitative information was summarized in textual descriptions. Fourteen studies, published from August 2012 to November 2022, on Clostridioides difficile and Enterococcus spp.’s interaction in the gut microbiota met the inclusion criteria. The studies included in our systematic review reported evidence that the Enterococcus spp. intestinal burden represents a risk factor for the occurrence of CDI. There is supporting evidence that Enterococcus spp. play a role in CDI development and clinical outcomes.