Eikenella corrodens: an unusual cause of severe parapneumonic infection and empyema in immunocompetent patients.

Over the past 25 years, Eikenella corrodens has increasingly been recognized for its pathogenic potential. Previously identified as an organism most likely to cause opportunistic infection in the immunocompromised host, Eikenella more recently has been implicated in a number of clinical infections in non-immunocompromised patients. We report a case of community-acquired pneumonia, caused by Eikenella, in a patient with diabetes mellitus and a past history of testicular cancer. A review of the literature was conducted in order to review other cases of pulmonary infection with Eikenella, in immunocompetent adults. The condition was diagnosed in 15 patients, occurring most often in men with a mean age of 50. Patients most often presented with fever, cough and pleuritic chest pain. Complications often involved parapneumonic effusion, empyema, and necrotic parenchymal disease. Mortality rates appear to be low. Eikenella is most often susceptible to ampicillin and has variable susceptibility to aminoglycosides. The addition of clindamycin in non-immunocompromised patients with Eikenella infection, co-infected with other pathogens, also appears to be useful. Surgical intervention plays an important role in the recovery of these patients.