Enterococcus faecalis is an opportunistic pathogen strongly associated with persistent endodontic infections and root canal therapy failure. Its pathogenicity is influenced by multiple virulence determinants that promote adhesion to host tissues, biofilm formation, and evasion of host immune defenses. This scoping review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the functional roles of the virulence genes gelE, asa1, ace, cylA, hylE, and efaA in the pathogenicity of E. faecalis. The review protocol was prospectively registered in the Open Science Framework (OSF) database .The study followed the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Electronic databases were systematically searched to identify studies investigating virulence determinants of E. faecalis. After duplicate removal and screening, eligible studies were selected for qualitative synthesis and data extraction. The search identified 152 records, of which 69 duplicates were removed, leaving 83 studies for title and abstract screening. Seventeen articles underwent full-text evaluation, and 15 met the inclusion criteria. The most frequently reported virulence genes were gelatinase (gelE), aggregation substance (asa1), collagen adhesion protein (ace), cytolysin (cylA), hyaluronidase (hylE), and endocarditis antigen (efaA). These determinants were consistently associated with adhesion, biofilm formation, tissue colonization, and immune evasion. Current evidence indicates that these virulence genes play significant roles in the pathogenic mechanisms of E. faecalis. Understanding their biological functions may support the development of improved therapeutic strategies for managing persistent endodontic infections.
