Corynebacterium /kôr′inē′baktir′ē·əm/ [Gk, koryne, club, bakterion, small staff] , a common genus of aerobic and facultative, anaerobic, gram-positive, nonmotile, rod-shaped curved bacilli that includes many species. The most common pathogenic species are C. acnes, commonly found in acne lesions, and C. diphtheriae, the cause of diphtheria. Nondiphtherial corynebacteria have been recognized as pathogenic, especially in immunocompromised patients. The most common infection with these organisms is bacteremia in association with infections involving devices such as heart valves, catheters, and neurological shunts. See also Propionibacterium.
