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[Infections by Arcanobacterium haemolyticum: an emerging pathogen].
J L Puerto Alonso1, P García-Martos, J A Girón González
1Servicios de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar. Cádiz.
Anales De Medicina Interna (Madrid, Spain : 1984)
|November 8, 2002
Summary
Arcanobacterium haemolyticum, a bacterium recently reclassified from Corynebacterium, can cause infections like pharyngitis and skin ulcers. Treatment guidelines are lacking, but penicillin and erythromycin are often effective against this dual commensal and pathogenic organism.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bacteriology
Context:
- Arcanobacterium haemolyticum, formerly Corynebacterium, is a gram-positive bacterium.
- Humans are the primary reservoir for this organism.
- It is found on skin and in the pharynx of healthy individuals.
Purpose:
- To review the clinical significance and treatment of Arcanobacterium haemolyticum infections.
- To highlight diagnostic challenges due to its dual role as commensal and pathogen.
- To discuss current therapeutic recommendations for associated infections.
Summary:
- Arcanobacterium haemolyticum causes pharyngitis in children and chronic skin ulcers in diabetics.
- Less common infections include osteomyelitis, meningitis, pneumonia, abscesses, endocarditis, and sepsis.
- Most strains are susceptible to penicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, and tetracycline.
Impact:
- This review addresses the lack of established treatment guidelines for Arcanobacterium haemolyticum infections.
- It recommends high-dose penicillin, potentially with gentamicin, for severe infections.
- Understanding its pathogenic potential is crucial for effective clinical management.