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Claude O. Burdick, MD; Desmond Erasmus, MD; Attigupam Jayaram, MD; Paul N. Schield, MD; William Kosch, MD
Livermore, Calif

JAMA. 1982;248(16):1972-1973.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

Eikenella corrodens is a gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic microorganism that is often a component of dental plaque and is present on 40% of healthy gums. The organism is usually nonpathogenic or weakly pathogenic. However, there have been a few reports, mostly in the dental literature, that describe important Eikenella infections. Most were associated with severe trauma, dental manipulation, or a depressed immune system.^1,2 Some drug abusers have experienced abscesses after using saliva to liquefy drugs before injection.³

In a series of 41 Eikenella isolates obtained at UCLA and Wadsworth Hospital Center, Los Angeles, from 1974 through 1977, there were no isolates from brain abscesses.⁴ Recently, we have seen a patient with a large brain abscess caused by Eikenella who had no predisposing illness or dental surgery.

Report of a Case.—

A 38-year-old man had been in excellent health. Two weeks before hospital admission, he experienced . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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