Infect Chemother.  2004 Apr;36(2):118-121.

A Case of Liver Abscess due to Eikenella corrodens Caused by Human Bites

• Ko GJ
• Rhie EJ
• Choi HS
• Kim SS
• Choi JE
• Lim HS
• Kim JM
• Lee KS

Abstract

Eikenella corrodens is a slow growing, facultatively anaerobic gram-negative rod that is part of the normal flora of the oral cavity and upper respiratory tracts. In most patients with E. corrodens infections, host defenses are compromised due to surgery, or chronic debilitating illness such as malignancies, or immunosuppressive therapy. This organism causes abscesses and infections that are at times fatal. We experienced a case of E. corrodens isolated from liver abscess in an immunocompetent patient. A 50-year-old man who is a dentist, was hospitalized because of fever and myalgia of 10 days' duration. Abdominal ultrasonography showed non-septated, 3.8x4.6 cm sized abscess in the segment 6/7 of the liver. E. corrodens was isolated from aspiration of liver abscess. This organism was presumably acquired from his patient's oral cavity during dental procedure. We hope that increased awareness to E. corrodens will raise the index of suspicion, and contribute to optimal management of these infections, minimizing the significant morbidity associated with this organism.

Keyword

Eikenella corrodens; Human Bites; Liver abscess

MeSH Terms

Abscess
Bites, Human*
Dentists
Eikenella corrodens*
Eikenella*
Fever
Hope
Humans
Humans*
Liver Abscess*
Liver*
Middle Aged
Mouth
Myalgia
Respiratory System
Ultrasonography