Corynebacterium
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Corynebacterium is a genus of Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, non-motile actinobacteria. Most do not cause disease, but are part of normal human skin flora.
Some nondiphtheria species of Corynebacterium produce disease in specific animal species, and some of these are also human pathogens. Some species attack healthy hosts, and others attack immunosuppressed hosts. Some of their effects include granulomatous lymphadenitis, pneumonitis, pharyngitis, skin infections, and endocarditis. Endocarditis caused by Corynebacterium spp. is particularly seen in patients with indwelling intravascular devices.
Infection by diphtheroids tend to occur in elderly, neutropenic, or immunocompromised patients, and those who have indwelling prosthetic devices such as heart valves, neurologic shunts, or catheters.
Certain Corynebacterium species are used in the industrial production of amino acids such as lysine.
Species
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
- Corynebacterium diphtheriae, the cause of diphtheria in humans.
Nondiphtheriae Corynebacteria (diphtheroids)
- Corynebacterium ulcerans
- Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (also called Corynebacterium ovis)
- Corynebacterium pyogenes
- Corynebacterium haemolyticum
- Corynebacterium glutamicum
- Corynebacterium aquaticum
- Corynebacterium pseudodiptheriticum (also called Corynebacterium hofmannii)
- Corynebacterium urealyticum (corynebacteria of group D2)
- Corynebacterium equi
- Corynebacterium bovis
- Corynebacterium xerosis
- Corynebacterium amycolatum
- Corynebacterium jeikeiun (corynebacteria of group JK)
- Corynebacterium striatum, (Axillary odor [link])
- Corynebacterium tenuis (Trichomycosis palmellina, Trichomycosis axillaris) [link]
References
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