Eikenella corrodens is best known for causing infections in which site?

• A. Abscesses of the oral cavity
• B. Pneumonia
• C. Postsurgical wound infections
• D. Urinary tract infections

Answer: (A)

Eikenella corrodens is a member of the normal oral flora and is classically linked to infections that originate in the mouth. Because it resides in the oropharyngeal region and is commonly involved in dental infections and human bite injuries, the infections it most characteristically causes are abscesses in the oral cavity and the surrounding facial spaces. While it can appear in other invasive infections, the site the organism is best known for affecting is the oral cavity, where abscess formation from dental disease or bite-related contamination is typical. In the laboratory, its colonies may even appear to corrode the agar, a trait linked to its name and oral origin.