[Detection of Arcanobacterium haemolyticum in primoculture using the reverse CAMP test]

Arcanobacterium haemolyticum was isolated from 8,641 throat swabs in 49 cases (0.56%), from patients aged 16 to 24 years only, twice more often from men than from women. The isolation was achieved on sheep blood agar supplemented with streak with Staphylococcus aureus strain producing beta-lysine. In all cases the presence of A. haemolyticum colonies was disclosed by the irregular periphery of haemolysis around the staphylococcal streak after the 48-hour incubation. The technique described should be used as a standard procedure for examining throat swabs.