Background
Microbiology
- Facultatively anaerobic, oxidase-positive fastidious Gram-negative bacillus in the genus Eikenella
- Do not grow well on MacConkey agar
- Primary human pathogen within its genus
- Member of the HACEK group of fastidious causes of infective endocarditis
- Member of normal human mouth flora
Clinical Manifestations
- Associated with soft tissue infections after clenched fist injuries involving the human mouth
- Can also caused head and neck infections, pneumonia, lung abscess
- Can cause infective endocarditis
Management
- Often present in polymicrobial infections
- Often susceptible to penicillins, but there is a risk of beta lactamases
- Empiric treatment for severe infections includes ceftriaxone, ampicillin-sulbactam, and piperacillin-tazobactam
- Oral amoxicillin-clavulanic acid is another option
- Often resistant to clindamycin, metronidazole, and aminoglycosides
- For infective endocarditis: 4 weeks of IV ceftriaxone
