EIKENELLA CORRODENS - NEW PATHOGEN

Oral infections that result from trauma or dental manipulation are often thought to be of minor importance to the practicing clinician. The majority of oral infections respond well to treatment with the common antibiotics without the need for laboratory culture and sensitivity. There are instances, becoming increasingly frequent, when this form of simple therapy is no longer as efficacious as it has been thought to be. Some exotic infections are frequently recalcitrant to treatment. These infections are usually caused by ubiquitous organisms, such as Eikenella corrodens. We are presenting several of our cases that were caused by this organism, as well as a review of some aspects of its microbiology, in order to attract the attention and interest of our colleagues in dental practice to this increasingly frequent problem. © 1979.