Keywords
Pharyngitis
Rash
Adolescent
How to Cite
Abstract
Arcanobacterium haemolyticum is an agent that causes pharyngitis and rash, especially in adolescents. The maximum incidence occurs between 15 and 18 years of age, and it is suggested to consider this microorganism in the diagnosis of young adults with rash. The typical presentation includes odynophagia, fever and skin rash, being similar to streptococcal pharyngitis. It can cause invasive infection in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals, particularly in those with diabetes mellitus and malignancies with skin and soft tissue infection. The difficulty in its diagnosis is due to slow growth in cultures, with modern methods such as mass spectrometry facilitating identification. We present the clinical case of a healthy 14-year-old adolescent with odynophagia, headache, asthenia and skin rash, whose pharyngeal culture revealed A. haemolyticum sensitive to penicillin and erythromycin. After treatment, there was improvement within 24 hours. The importance of considering this microorganism in the differential diagnosis of pharyngitis and rash is emphasized, highlighting the lack of case reports. We conclude by highlighting the need for a high level of suspicion to address infections that could go unnoticed and, therefore, to be able to avoid complications.
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