A Case of Liver Abscess due to Eikenella corrodens Caused by Human Bites

Eikenella corrodens is a slow growing, facultatively anaerobic gram-negative rod that is part of the normal flora of the oral cavity and upper respiratory tracts. In most patients with E. corrodens infections, host defenses are compromised due to surgery, or chronic debilitating illness such as malignancies, or immunosuppressive therapy. This organism causes abscesses and infections that are at times fatal. We experienced a case of E. corrodens isolated from liver abscess in an immunocompetent patient. A 50-year-old man who is a dentist, was hospitalized because of fever and myalgia of 10 days' duration. Abdominal ultrasonography showed non-septated, 3.8x4.6 cm sized abscess in the segment 6/7 of the liver. E. corrodens was isolated from aspiration of liver abscess. This organism was presumably acquired from his patient's oral cavity during dental procedure. We hope that increased awareness to E. corrodens will raise the index of suspicion, and contribute to optimal management of these infections, minimizing the significant morbidity associated with this organism.

A Case of Mycobacterium avium Pulmonary Disease with Massive Pleural Effusion in an HIV-negative, Nonimmunosuppressed Patient: Using PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Assay

The Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) comprises slow-growing mycobacteria that is ubiquitous in the environment and capable of infecting diverse species with consequences ranging from asymptomatic infection to clinically significant and even fatal disease. Especially, basal pleural disease is infrequently found in immunocompetent person. We report a very rare case of M. avium pleuritis with massive pleural effusion without any predisposing conditions. A previously healthy 36-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of generalized malaise, low-grade fever, and right pleuritic chest pain of 5 days' duration. Chest X-ray showed mottled infiltration in the right upper lung zone with minimal right pleural effusion which was exudate with lymphocyte-dominance. The pleural effusion progressively increased without responding to anti-tuberculosis treatment. Afterwards M. avium was identified from the pleural effusion using PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Assay(PCR-RFLP). The treatment regimen was changed to rifampine, ethambutol, clarithromycin and streptomycin afterwhich the patient recovered.

A Case of Liver Abscess due to Eikenella corrodens Caused by Human Bites

Eikenella corrodens is a slow growing, facultatively anaerobic gram-negative rod that is part of the normal flora of the oral cavity and upper respiratory tracts. In most patients with E. corrodens infections, host defenses are compromised due to surgery, or chronic debilitating illness such as malignancies, or immunosuppressive therapy. This organism causes abscesses and infections that are at times fatal. We experienced a case of E. corrodens isolated from liver abscess in an immunocompetent patient. A 50-year-old man who is a dentist, was hospitalized because of fever and myalgia of 10 days' duration. Abdominal ultrasonography showed non-septated, 3.8x4.6 cm sized abscess in the segment 6/7 of the liver. E. corrodens was isolated from aspiration of liver abscess. This organism was presumably acquired from his patient's oral cavity during dental procedure. We hope that increased awareness to E. corrodens will raise the index of suspicion, and contribute to optimal management of these infections, minimizing the significant morbidity associated with this organism.

A Case of Mycobacterium avium Pulmonary Disease with Massive Pleural Effusion in an HIV-negative, Nonimmunosuppressed Patient: Using PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Assay

The Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) comprises slow-growing mycobacteria that is ubiquitous in the environment and capable of infecting diverse species with consequences ranging from asymptomatic infection to clinically significant and even fatal disease. Especially, basal pleural disease is infrequently found in immunocompetent person. We report a very rare case of M. avium pleuritis with massive pleural effusion without any predisposing conditions. A previously healthy 36-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of generalized malaise, low-grade fever, and right pleuritic chest pain of 5 days' duration. Chest X-ray showed mottled infiltration in the right upper lung zone with minimal right pleural effusion which was exudate with lymphocyte-dominance. The pleural effusion progressively increased without responding to anti-tuberculosis treatment. Afterwards M. avium was identified from the pleural effusion using PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Assay(PCR-RFLP). The treatment regimen was changed to rifampine, ethambutol, clarithromycin and streptomycin afterwhich the patient recovered.