title: Haemolytic differential identification ofArcanobacterium haemolyticumisolated from a patient with diabetic foot ulcers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Arcanobacterium haemolyticum(formerly known asCorynebacterium haemolyticum) is the causative agent of sore throat and also causes skin and soft tissue infections in diabetes patients.A. haemolyticumis a Gram-positive, catalase-negative, β-haemolytic bacillus.A. haemolyticumposes a diagnostic challenge in the hospital laboratory because most coryneform bacilli are considered as normal flora or contaminants, and it is therefore difficult to differentiate from β-haemolytic streptococci by colony characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  A. haemolyticumwas isolated from a diabetic patient with foot ulcers and the isolate was identified by using a VITEK-2 system, CAMP inhibition test, reverse CAMP test and a 23S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The isolatedA. haemolyticuminhibited haemolysis ofStaphylococcus aureusin the CAMP test and enhanced haemolysis ofStreptococcus agalactiaein the reverse CAMP test. The diabetic patient was treated with teicoplanin and imipenem, and the ulcers healed within 2 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study suggests that a haemolytic differential method using the CAMP inhibition and reverse CAMP tests can be useful for differentiatingA. haemolyticumfrom β-haemolytic streptococci.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pusan , Busan 609-757 , Korea.
authors.forename: Hyesook
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pusan , Busan 609-757 , Korea.
authors.forename: Gyunam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pusan , Busan 609-757 , Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeran
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pusan , Busan 609-757 , Korea.
authors.forename: Kyungsoo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chang
keywords: Arcanobacterium haemolyticum; CAMP inhibition test; diabetic foot ulcers; haemolytic differential method; reverse CAMP test