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Skin Microbiology pp 19–28Cite as

The Current Status of Aerobic Cutaneous Coryneform Bacteria

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Abstract

Coryneform bacteria—gram-positive, nonsporing, pleomorphic rods—are found in almost every environment. The aerobic coryneform of skin are commonly known in the medical professions as the “diphtheroids”, a name coined to indicate a close relationship with the diphtheria bacillus. The more general term “coryneform” is more appropriate to these commensal skin bacteria, since many resemble C. diphtheriae in little but morphology. Although the majority of aerobic coryneforms can be assigned to the genus Corynebacterium, representatives of other coryneform genera are encountered, some of which may be residents. Others are derived from the environment and are termed transient of nomadic.55

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Authors
  1. David G. Pitcher
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  2. Peter J. H. Jackman
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of California, School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA

    Howard I. Maibach M.D. (Professor) (Professor)

  2. Department of Dermatology, Department of Microbiology, University of California, School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA

    Raza Aly Ph.D. (Associate Professor) (Associate Professor)

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© 1981 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.

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Pitcher, D.G., Jackman, P.J.H. (1981). The Current Status of Aerobic Cutaneous Coryneform Bacteria. In: Maibach, H.I., Aly, R. (eds) Skin Microbiology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5868-1_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5868-1_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-5870-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-5868-1

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