TABLE 1.

Growth and viability of E. faecalis cells during starvation and VBNC states

State and day	Measure of viability
	No. of cell particles/mla	No. of CFU/ml	% Live cellsb	Presence of PBP5 mRNAc
Starvation
0	1 × 107	1 × 107	100	+
10	1.5 × 107	3 × 106	91	+
20	9 × 106	2 × 106	83	+
VBNC
0	1.5 × 107	1 × 107	100	+
10	9 × 106	1 × 102	86	+
20	8.5 × 106	<0.1	70	+

^aDetermined with a Coulter counter.

^bDetermined by Live/Dead staining kit.

^cDetermined by RT-PCR. PBP5, penicillin binding protein 5.