Resumen:
ntroduction: The HACEK group (Haemophilus, Aggregatibacter, Cardiobacterium, Eikenella, Kingella) includes slow-growing gram-negative bacteria that form part of the microbiota of the upper respiratory and genitourinary tracts of humans and animals. Clinical manifestations: These are the slow-growing, gram-negative bacilli that most frequently cause infections in human beings, and can give rise to infections in any location, but fundamentally the skin and soft tissues, and cause bacteraemia and endocarditis. Diagnosis: They are nutritionally demanding bacteria and for visible colonies to develop require blood agar or chocolate agar, an aerobic atmosphere, generally CO2 rich and incubation of at least 42 hours. They are difficult to identify phenotypically as a species and it is not always possible to do so, even using automated systems. However molecular and proteomic techniques have resulted in increased identification and an awareness of their role in human infectious pathology. Treatment: There is limited data on their sensitivity to antimicrobial agents, although from the existing data it is known that amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, second and third generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones generally act against them.
