The viable but non-culturable（VBNC） state is a physiological state when bacteria are exposed to adverse environments. The biological characteristics of bacteria entering the VBNC state occur a series of changes, and bacteria can’t be tested via conventional culture metheds. It will be great significance to the work on conventional microbiology. This paper summarized the methods of Enterococcus faecalis entering in and resuming from the VBNC state. Some methods for monitoring and the biological characteristics were suggested.
