Arcanobacterium haemolyticum in children with presumed streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis or scarlet fever.

Arcanobacterium haemolyticum was cultured from pharyngeal specimens obtained from 12 of 129 children with pharyngotonsillitis, some of whom had a scarlatiniform rash. This organism should be considered to be a cause of infections that are clinically similar to those caused by beta-hemolytic streptococci.