organism properties
Last reviewed 11/2022
Corynebacterium diphtheriae exhibits the following characteristics:
- morphology: 'Chinese character' bacilli which bear metachromatic granules
- cultural characteristics: grey colonies on tellurite agar
- biochemical properties: sucrose negative, urease negative
Further, based on the morphology of the colonies and the presence of metachromatic granules, C. diphtheriae is divided into the following species in order of increasing virulence:
- mitis
- intermedius
- gravis