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The HACEK organisms are a group of fastidious Gram-negative bacteria that are an unusual cause of infective endocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart due to bacterial infection. [1] HACEK is an abbreviation of the initials of the genera of this group of bacteria: Haemophilus , Aggregatibacter (previously Actinobacillus ...
Infective endocarditis may also be classified as culture-positive or culture-negative. By far the most common cause of "culture-negative" endocarditis is prior administration of antibiotics and can occur in up to 31% of cases. [14] [7]
Kingella kingae is a species of Gram-negative facultative anaerobic β-hemolytic coccobacilli. First isolated in 1960 by Elizabeth O. King, it was not recognized as a significant cause of infection in young children until the 1990s, when culture techniques had improved enough for it to be recognized.
It can also cause infections in insulin-dependent diabetics and intravenous drug users who lick their needles ("needle-licker's osteomyelitis"). [12] It is one of the HACEK group of infections which are a cause of culture-negative endocarditis. In general, the HACEK organisms are responsible for approximately 3% of all cases of infective ...
Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, the endocardium.It usually involves the heart valves.Other structures that may be involved include the interventricular septum, the chordae tendineae, the mural endocardium, or the surfaces of intracardiac devices.
Fastidious Gram-negative bacteria such as Cardiobacterium hominis along with Eikenella corrodens and Kingella kingae mainly inhabiting in the oral and upper respiratory tract in humans are responsible for 1–3% of infective endocarditis. [18] Treatment of the disease involves third-generation cephalosporin with more than 80-90% success rate. [18]
Other strains of streptococci can cause subacute endocarditis as well. These include streptococcus intermedius, which can cause acute or subacute infection (about 15% of cases pertaining to infective endocarditis). [7] Enterococci from urinary tract infections and coagulase negative staphylococci can also be causative agents. [5]
Coxsackie B infections usually do not cause serious disease, although for newborns in the first 1–2 weeks of life, Coxsackie B infections can easily be fatal. [2] The pancreas is a frequent target, which can cause pancreatitis. [2] Coxsackie B3 (CB3) infections are the most common enterovirus cause of myocarditis and sudden cardiac death. [8]