Eikenella

Background

• Fastidious Gram-negative facultative anaerobic bacillus
• Commensal flora of human mouth, thus is important pathogen in to consider with an infected human bite or "fight bites"
• Is one of the "HACEK" organisms that causes endocarditis
• May also cause bacteremia/endocarditis in insulin or IV drug users who lick their needles
• Typically causes indolent illness. Infected wounds can be extremely malodorous.
• Treat with penicillins, cephalosporins, or tetracyclines. It is resistant to macrolides, clindamycin, and metronidazole. Susceptible to fluoroquinolones in vitro.

Antibiotic Sensitivities

Key

• S susceptible/sensitive (usually)
• I intermediate (variably susceptible/resistant)
• R resistant (or not effective clinically)
• S+ synergistic with cell wall antibiotics
• U sensitive for UTI only (non systemic infection)
• X1 no data
• X2 active in vitro, but not used clinically
• X3 active in vitro, but not clinically effective for Group A strep pharyngitis or infections due to E. faecalis
• X4 active in vitro, but not clinically effective for strep pneumonia

See Also

• Microbiology (Main)