Arcanobacterium haemolyticum: clinical significance, diagnosis, and antimicrobial therapy

Abstract

Arcanobacterium haemolyticum is a causative agent of pharyngitis, skin and soft tissues infections, and can cause severe infections in patients with pneumonia, osteomyelitis, septicemia, and pneumothorax. It is a Gram-positive facultative anaerobic rod. This article is a brief overview of the currently available data on the clinical significance, microbiological diagnosis of this microorganism and the antimicrobial therapy of the infections caused by this pathogen. Our own experience in isolating Arcanobacterium haemolyticum from patients with tonsillopharyngitis is also presented.

Keywords

• gram-positive rods
• arcanobacterium haemolyticum
• pharyngitis
• skin and soft tissue infections