Head And Neck Infections In Children Due To Eikenella Corrodens: Report Of Three Cases And Review Of Literature

Introduction: Eikenella corrodens is a small, nonmotile Gram-negative rod that is part of the normal flora in the mouth, upper respiratory, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary tracts. It is classically found in human bite (fist to mouth) infections but is also seen in respiratory tract and head and neck infections.Methods: We describe three cases of E. corrodens causing head and neck infections in children seen in our institution between 2013 and 2019. We also reviewed the available literature on pediatric head and neck infections caused by E. corrodens.Results: All 3 children recovered and fit the trends identified in the 58 patients published in the literature from 1976 to 2019.Conclusions: E. corrodens is responsible for a range of head and neck infections in pediatric patients. It is a not infrequent cause of head and neck infections in children and should be considered when selecting presumptive antibiotic therapy.