Corynebacteria

The genus Corynebacterium (from Greek koryne = club - due to the unilateral or bilateral club-shaped distension of the bacterium) includes partly aerobic, partly anaerobic, gram-positive, short, straight or slightly curved, immobile rods of the bacterial family Corynebacteriaceae, often with club-like thickened ends and metachromatic granules. Pathological significance exists, among others, in:

• Diphtheria (Corynebacterium diphtheria)
• Erythrasma (Corynebacterium minutissimum)
• Keratoma sulcatum
• Trichobacteriosis palmellina (Corynebacterium tenuis)
• Acne vulgaris (Propionibacterium acnes)
• Ulcers (Corynebacterium pyogenes; is primarily animal pathogenic)
• Sepsis (Corynebacterium jeikeium; mostly diseases in immunocompromised people)
• Pharyngitis and skin ulcerations (Arcanobacterium haemolyticum)