Pediatric post-traumatic surgical site infection due to Eikenella corrodens: a case report

Abstract

Eikenella corrodens is a slow-growing, fastidious gram-negative bacillus that is often overlooked in routine diagnostic procedures. We report a case of a nine-year-old girl who developed a surgical site infection five days after debridement and suturing for craniofacial trauma. Gram staining of purulent material found gram-negative coccobacilli. The isolate was presumptively identified as Eikenella spp. by conventional culture and biochemical testing, and later confirmed as E. corrodens by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-offlight mass spectrometry. Based on the literature, amoxicillin/clavulanate was administered without formal antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Following surgical debridement and targeted antimicrobial therapy, the patient showed marked clinical improvement and achieved complete recovery within 13 days. This case highlights the importance of careful microbiological evaluation, appropriate culture conditions, and timely confirmatory identification. Close collaboration between clinicians and laboratories and access to advanced diagnostic methods or referral centers are essential for detecting uncommon pathogens.