Kingdom:
Bacteria
Family:
Pasteurellaceae
Genus:
Propionibacterium
Species:
Acnes
The
anaerobic diphtheroid bacteria responsible for
acne vulgaris (common acne), and normally present in human
hair follicles. P. acnes proliferates in the anaerobic growth medium of the skin's
sebaceous glands' secretions (
sebum), hydrolyzing
triglycerides into
glycerol and irritating
fatty acids.
Distilled from psychiatry.medscape.com, "Approach to Acne Vulgaris", Fern A. Wirth, MD.