  We study single- and two-atom van der Waals interactions of ground-state
atoms which are both polarizable and paramagnetizable in the presence of
magneto-electric bodies within the framework of macroscopic quantum
electrodynamics. Starting from an interaction Hamiltonian that includes
particle spins, we use leading-order perturbation theory for the van der Waals
potentials expressed in terms of the polarizability and magnetizability of the
atom(s). To allow for atoms embedded in media, we also include local-field
corrections via the real-cavity model. The general theory is applied to the
potential of a single atom near a half space and that of two atoms embedded in
a bulk medium or placed near a sphere, respectively.
