Are penicillin treatment failures in Arcanobacterium haemolyticum pharyngotonsillitis caused by intracellularly

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A Osterlund1

  • 1Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.

Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
|January 1, 1995
PubMed

Insights

Arcanobacterium haemolyticum causes pharyngotonsillitis, and treatment failures occur despite in vitro penicillin sensitivity. This bacterium can survive inside host cells, forming reservoirs, suggesting alternative antibiotic strategies are needed.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Arcanobacterium haemolyticum is an uncommon cause of pharyngotonsillitis in pediatric and young adult populations.
  • Penicillin treatment failures are common, despite in vitro susceptibility of A. haemolyticum.
  • The intracellular survival capacity of A. haemolyticum is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the ability of Arcanobacterium haemolyticum to invade and survive intracellularly within HEp-2 cells.
  • To explore the implications of intracellular survival for treatment outcomes.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of erythromycin against intracellular A. haemolyticum.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro cell invasion assays using HEp-2 cells and clinical/reference strains of Arcanobacterium haemolyticum.
  • Intracellular survival assays over a 4-day period.
  • Assessment of antibiotic efficacy, specifically erythromycin, against intracellular bacteria.

Main Results:

  • All 12 tested strains of Arcanobacterium haemolyticum were internalized by HEp-2 cells.
  • Four strains demonstrated intracellular survival for up to 4 days, indicating potential for intracellular reservoirs.
  • Erythromycin effectively eradicated intracellular Arcanobacterium haemolyticum.

Conclusions:

  • Arcanobacterium haemolyticum possesses the ability to invade and survive intracellularly, contributing to treatment failures.
  • Intracellular reservoirs of Arcanobacterium haemolyticum can be established within host cells.
  • Erythromycin demonstrates efficacy against intracellular Arcanobacterium haemolyticum, suggesting its utility in treating persistent infections.

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