CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY OF CORYNEFORM BACTERIA

Coryneform bacteria are aerobically growing asporogenous, non-partiall y-acid-fa st, gram-positive rods of irregular morphology. Within the l ast few years, there has been a massive increase in the number of publ ications related to all aspects of their clinical microbiology. Clinic al microbiologists are often confronted with making identifications wi thin this heterogeneous group as well as with considerations of the cl inical significance of such isolates. This review provides comprehensi ve information on the identification of coryneform bacteria and outlin es recent changes in taxonomy. The following genera are covered: Coryn ebacterium, Turicella, Arthrobacter, Brevibacterium, Dermabacter, Prop ionibacterium Rothia, Exiguobacterium, Oerskovia, Cellulomonas, Sangui bacter, Microbacterium, Aureobacterium, ''Corynebacterium aquaticum,'' Arcanobacterium, and Actinomyces. Case reports claiming disease assoc iations of coryneform bacteria are critically reviewed. Minimal microb iological requirements for publications on disease associations of cor yneform bacteria are proposed.