Title:
Enterococci: Microbiological Properties and Potential Physiological Effects upon Short-Term Stress

Abstract:
Enterococci are gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic cocci that occur naturally in the human intestine. They are part of the normal intestinal flora but can be pathogenic under certain conditions. Recently, hypothetical links between enterococcal infections and physiological stress responses, including adrenaline release, temperature dysregulation, and sweating, have been discussed. The following article summarizes known scientific facts about enterococci and critically evaluates speculative claims about their use as performance-enhancing or aggressive substances.

1. Microbiological Basics

Enterococci belong to the family Enterococcaceae and include several species, particularly Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium.

• Morphology: Gram-positive cocci, usually in pairs or short chains.

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• Physiology: Facultatively anaerobic, temperature-tolerant (10-45 °C), relatively resistant to many antibiotics and disinfectants.

• Occurrence: Natural component of the intestinal flora of humans and Animal.

• Pathogenicity: opportunistic pathogen, common in hospital-acquired infections (e.g., endocarditis, urinary tract infections, wound infections).

2. Enterococci and Stress Physiology

There is no scientifically proven data that enterococci trigger a targeted release of adrenaline or noradrenaline.
However, it is known:

• Infections with enterococci can cause a systemic inflammatory reaction, which can indirectly trigger sympathetic stress reactions (including increased heart rate, sweating, and feeling cold) via cytokine release.

• These reactions are not specific to enterococci, but are typical of many bacterial Infections.

• Adrenaline levels rise in such cases as a result of immune activation, not as a targeted pharmacological effect.

3. Use as a "doping agent" or to increase aggression

There is no medical or military evidence that enterococci have ever been used as doping agents or to deliberately increase aggression.

• No approved or experimental drug is based on enterococci for this purpose.

• Infections with enterococci usually lead to weakness, fever, chills, and circulatory strain, not to increased performance.

• The idea of ​​an "aggression-enhancing" effect probably stems from misinterpretations of nonspecific inflammatory symptoms (e.g., irritability, restlessness with fever).

4. Symptoms after enterococcal infection

Clinically typical manifestations:

• Fever, feeling cold, cold sweat (due to endotoxic reactions).

• Fatigue, concentration disorders, circulatory weakness.

• In severe cases: sepsis, endocarditis, urinary tract infections, wound infections.

These symptoms are medically relevant, but they indicate an infection, not a targeted performance modulation.

5. Intake and Transmission

• Natural intake occurs through contaminated food (meat, dairy products, vegetables) or contact with infectious persons/animals.

• Enterococci can serve as a food indicator for fecal contamination.

• Hygienic measures (handwashing, cooking food) reliably prevent transmission.

6. Conclusion

Enterococci are robust intestinal bacteria with potentially pathogenic effects.
There is no scientific evidence that they can be used as doping agents or to increase aggression.
Observed physiological reactions such as cold, sweating, and restlessness arise as a result of an immune reaction, not as a naturalolted pharmacological effect.
Their natural intake via contaminated food represents an infection risk, not a therapeutic or performance-enhancing potential.

References (selection):

• Hollenbeck, B. L., & Rice, L. B. (2012). Intrinsically vancomycin-resistant enterococci: from the hospital to the environment. Clinical Microbiology Reviews.

• Arias, C. A., & Murray, B. E. (2012). The rise of the Enterococcus: beyond vancomycin resistance. Nature Reviews Microbiology.

• WHO (2023). Antimicrobial Resistance: Enterococci species fact sheet.