Table 5. Biochemical Reactions To Distinguish Corynebacterium that may be Found in Upper Respiratory Tract in Humans.
Organism Name | Metachromatic granules | Cellular morphology | Catalase | Pyrazinamidase | Gelatinase | Urease | Lactose | Maltose | Trehalose | Starch | Glucose |
C. diphtheriae var. mitis | Pos | Slender, pleomorphic often club forms | Pos | Neg | Neg | Neg | Neg | Pos | Neg | Neg | Pos |
C. diphtheriae var. gravis | Pos | Slender, pleomorphic often club forms | Pos | Neg | Neg | Neg | Neg | Pos | Neg | Pos* (*Note: This is a distinguishing feature between the three diphtheriaes) | Pos |
C. diphtheriae var. intermedius | Pos | Slender, pleomorphic often club forms | Pos | Neg | Neg | Neg | Neg | Pos | Neg | Neg | Pos |
C. ulcerans | Pos | Short rods and coccoid forms | Pos | Neg | Pos (rare negative may be found) | Pos (rare Negative may be found) | Neg | Pos | Pos (rare negative may be found) | Pos | Pos |
C. pseudotuberculosis | Pos | Small, irregular rods | Pos | Neg | Neg | Pos | Neg | Pos | Neg | Neg | Pos |
C. xerosis | Pos | Polar staining rods, few club forms | Pos | Pos | Neg | Neg | Neg | Neg (rare positive may be found) | Neg | Neg | Pos |