Eikenella corrodens is one of the HACEK organisms.
Microbiological features: small, non-spore-forming, facultatively anaerobic, nonmotile Gram-negative rod. Colonies are gray, translucent, and non-hemolytic, with slow growth enhanced by 5% carbon dioxide.
The organism is considered part of the normal flora of the oropharynx and upper respiratory tract.
In a normal host it can cause minor infections that are benign and mild, primarily around the head and neck.
If the patient has a defect in host defenses (diabetes, immunosuppression, immunodeficiency, cancer, etc), then it can cause severe, invasive disease.
Infections include:
(1) bacterial endocarditis and/or sepsis
(2) pericarditis and/or pleural empyema
(3) sinusitis
(4) abscess (brain, thyroid, liver, perirenal, etc)
(5) cellulitis
(6) myositis
(7) joint infection
(8) osteomyelitis
(9) meningitis
(10) urinary tract infection
Infection can follow a human bite or surgery to the head and neck.
Cure requires both antibiotics and (debridement or drainage).
