Overview of endocarditis caused by the HACEK group
The HACEK group of oral gram-negative bacilli include Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Aggregatibacter (formerly Haemophilus or Actinobacillus) species, Cardiobacterium species, Eikenella corrodens, and Kingella species. These organisms are slow to grow in traditional culture media and isolation may require specialised microbiological techniques. HACEK group organisms cause fewer than 5% of cases of endocarditis, and approximately one-third of these cases involve prosthetic valves.
Management of infective endocarditis should involve a multidisciplinary team-based approach; see Approach to managing infective endocarditis.
For principles of antimicrobial therapy for infective endocarditis (including postoperative duration of therapy following valve surgery and considerations for ambulatory antimicrobial therapy), see Principles of antimicrobial therapy for infective endocarditis.
The following empirical regimens are included in this topic for endocarditis caused by the HACEK group: