Propionibacterium acnes is a relatively slow growing, typically aerotolerant anaerobic gram positive bacterium that is linke to the skin condition acne; it can also cause chronic blepharitis and endophthalmitis, the latter particularly following intraocular surgery. The genome of the bacterium has been sequenced and a study has shown several genes that can generate enzymes for degrading skin and proteins that may be immunogenic (activate the immune system).