Eikenella corrodens empyema in children

M. A. St John, A. A. Belda, A. Matlow and C. G. Prober

Eikenella corrodens is a slow-growing, Gram-negative, facultative, anaerobic organism that is normally found among oropharyngeal flora. Its isolation as a pathogen is increasingly being reported. Although well documented in the literature on adults, few cases of E corrodens infection have been reported in children. We describe two children with E corrodens pneumonia and empyema. In one, infection was mixed, but in the other the organism was isolated in pure culture. Both patients recovered after therapy with a combination of an antibiotic active in vitro against the organism, and surgical drainage. The diagnosis, bacteriology, and evidence for potential pathogenicity of the organism are reviewed; E corrodens should be considered as a potential pathogen, especially in predisposed patients.