The HACEK group of nonmotile, gram-negative bacilli or coccobacilli contains a number of minimally pathogenic, slow-growing, fastidious genera. Their primary pathology is endocarditis Infective Endocarditis Infective endocarditis is infection of the endocardium, usually with bacteria (commonly, streptococci or staphylococci) or fungi. It may cause fever, heart murmurs, petechiae, anemia, embolic... read more 
in susceptible people; about 5% of endocarditis cases are due to this group, making them the most common causes of gram-negative bacilli endocarditis. The group consists of
Haemophilus species (H. parainfluenza, H. aphrophilus, and H. paraphrophilus), which may cause respiratory infections or, less commonly, endocarditis
Aggregatibacter (formerly Actinobacillus) actinomycetemcomitans, which usually occurs with A. israelii in actinomycosis Actinomycosis Actinomycosis is a chronic localized or hematogenous anaerobic infection caused by Actinomyces israelii and other species of Actinomyces. Findings are a local abscess with multiple... read more
Cardiobacterium hominis
Eikenella corrodens, which usually occurs in human bite wounds, endocarditis (often in IV drug users), brain and visceral abscesses, osteomyelitis, respiratory infections (including empyemas), uterine infections related to intrauterine devices, and mixed soft-tissue infections
Kingella kingae
Antibiotic sensitivities differ among species, so treatment should be directed by susceptibility testing. However, increasing beta-lactam resistance has made ceftriaxone and ampicillin/sulbactam the current antibiotics of choice.
Drugs Mentioned In This Article
| Drug Name | Select Trade |
|---|---|
ceftriaxone |
Ceftrisol Plus, Rocephin |
ampicillin/sulbactam |
Unasyn |
