Diphtheria (Corynebacterium diphtheriae)


Corynebacteria are Gram-positive, aerobic, nonmotile, rod-shaped bacteria
related to the Actinomycetes. They do not form spores or branch as do the
actinomycetes, but they have the characteristic of forming irregular shaped,
club-shaped or V-shaped arrangements in normal growth. They undergo snapping
movements just after cell division which brings them into characteristic
arrangements resembling Chinese letters.

The genus Corynebacterium consists of a diverse group of bacteria including
animal and plant pathogens, as well as saprophytes. Some corynebacteria are part
of the normal flora of humans, finding a suitable niche in virtually every
anatomic site. The best known and most widely studied species is Corynebacterium
diphtheriae, the causal agent of the disease diphtheria.

History and Background

No bacterial disease of humans has been as successfully studied as diphtheria.
The etiology, mode of transmission, pathogenic mechanism and......

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Title: Diphtheria (Corynebacterium Diphtheriae)
Approximate Word Count: 2379
Approximate Pages: 10 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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