**1. Introduction**

Enterococci are Gram-positive, non-spore forming and facultative anaerobic cocci. They are indigenous flora of the intestinal tract, oral cavity and vagina in healthy persons. The genus comprises 54 species which are ubiquitously present in nature [1]. Enterococci have emerged as an important nosocomial pathogens second to Staphylococci which is the leading cause of nosocomial infections worldwide [2]. Enterococci are important nosocomial pathogens causing up to 10% of all infections in the hospitalized patients [3]. In these Enterococci infections approximately 60% of infections are caused by *Enterococcus faecalis* and *Enterococcus faecium* causes the remaining [4]. In the last decade both *E. faecalis* and *E. faecium* have emerged as important nosocomial pathogens. Other Enterococcal species causing nosocomial human infections are *E. avium*, *E. gallinarum*, *E. casseliflavus*, *E. durans*, *E. raffinosus* and *E. mundtii*. Majority of clinical isolates (63–81%) are identified as *E. faecalis*, around 13–23% as *E. faecium* and other enterococcal species comprise around 3–4% of the clinical isolates [5].
