Eikenella

Abstract

Eikenella corrodens, a facultative anaerobic gram-negative asaccharolytic rod, is the unique species within the genus Eikenella, family Neisseriaceae. E. corrodens was first described in 1948 as anaerobic slow-growing bacteria. It is part of the HACEK1 group of organisms (Hemophilus aphrophilus, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Cardiobacterium hominis, Eikenella corrodens, and Kingella kingae) (Figure 62.1), which are part of the normal oropharyngeal microbiota in humans and which cause infective endocarditis, bacteremias, and abscesses.