HACEK bacterial group

Introduction

HACEK is an acronym for a group of slow-growing, fastidious gram negative bacteria with a predilection for infecting heart valves, i.e. endocarditis.

• Haemophilus parainfluenza, Haemophilus aphrophilus
• Actinobacillus
• Cardiobacterium
• Eikenella
• Kingella

Management

• empiric antibiotic therapy
  • ampicillin plus an aminoglycoside
  • ceftriaxone if not able to tolerate ampicillin
• therapy based upon antibiotic sensitivity

More general terms

• bacteria

More specific terms

• Aggregatibacter (Actinobacillus)
• Cardiobacterium
• Eikenella
• Haemophilus aphrophilus
• Haemophilus parainfluenza
• Kingella

Additional terms

• endocarditis