title: Three cases of Arcanobacterium haemolyticum associated with abscess formation and cellulitis.
abstract: Arcanobacterium haemolyticum has been described as an unusual pathogen causing pharyngotonsillitis and systemic disease in patients with predisposing conditions. A case of soft tissue abscess with no apparent portal of entry is reported in a healthy 31-year-old man who presented with a breast tumor. A second case of abscess formation in a 50-year-old patient with complicated wound healing is presented. In addition, a case of Arcanobacterium haemolyticum cellulitis in a 25-year-old female is reported. Due to its innocuous, coryneform appearance, this pathogen is probably underreported; therefore, the diagnostic evaluation of this organism is emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. dobinsky@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dobinsky
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Noesselt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rücker
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maerker
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mack
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000382:microbiology*; D000191:Actinomycetaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000193:Actinomycetales Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged