Effects of intravenous injection of two different strains of Corynebacterium parvum in the mouse.

A strain of C. parvum, CN6134, known to have antitumour activity, caused thrombosis in the sites where the organism is phagocytosed. It bound to macrophages in vitro and activated the alternate pathway of complement. A strain of C. parvum, CN5888, which fails to show antitumour activity, did not show thrombosis. It did not bind to macrophages or activate guinea-pig complement. It did, however, cause marrow infarction which seems to result from a diminished clearance of the organism from the circulation.