Clinical Bacteriology Photograph Album Index 
HOME      CONTACT US     EQA PROGRAMS     SURVEY RESULTS    CRITIQUES     SITE MAP  

 
  • Sputum, other respiratory samples
Page 1

G101 Sputum sample (companion to M101-4): 4+ (>25/lpf) neutrophils, no epithelial cells seen, 3+ (11-50/oif) gram negative diplococci. Sample suitable for culture.

G082 Sputum sample (companion to M082-3): 4+ (>25/lpf) neutrophils, 1+ (1-4/lpf) epithelial cells,  3+ (11-50/oif) gram-positive cocci in pairs (diplococci) Sample acceptable for culturing Companion culture positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae

G063 Sputum smear for Gram staining: 4+ (> 25/lpf, > 10/oif) neutrophils, 1+ (1-4/lpf, [<1/oif]) epithelial cells, 4+ gram-positive cocci (suggestive of S. pneumoniae), 2+ gram-negative diplococci/cocci Interpretation: suitable to culture

G044  Endotracheal aspirate: no neutrophils, rare epithelial cells, 4+ (> 50/ oil immersion field) gram-negative bacilli) The companion sample M044-2 yielded Serratia marcescens

G061 3+ neutrophils, 2+ yeast cells, 3+ gram-negative diplococci – Suitable for culturing. Click to enlarge image. No companion culture. Lymphoma patient. Yeast cells = Cryptococcus neoformans; gram-negative diplococci=Moraxella catarrhalis

G043 4+ (> 25/low power field) neutrophils, 4+ (> 50/ oil immersion field) gram-negative bacilli/coccobacilli, 2+ (2-10/oif) gram-positive cocci Interpretation: Suitable to culture.  Companion culture yielded Haemophilus parainfluenzae.

G24 Suitable to culture, > 25 neutrophils, 10-15 epithelial cells/lpf; 4+ gram-negative coccobacilli, 1+ gram-positive cocci, plus mixed normal resp. flora/oif
Companion culture yielded Acinetobacter baumannii.

G012 > 25 epithelial cells per low power field [lpf, x10]), few neutrophils (10-15/lpf), heavy mixed respiratory flora.  
Interpretation: Unsuitable for culturing. Low power and oil immersion views shown.

G021 Suitable to culture, > 25 neutrophils, < 10 epithelial cells/lpf; 4+ gram-positive bacilli, 2+ gram-positive cocci/oif
Companion culture (Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum)

 G23 Suitable to culture, > 25 neutrophils, 10-15 epithelial cells/lpf; 4+ gram-positive bacilli, 2+ gram-positive cocci in pairs/oif
Companion culture positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae and Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum.

G92 Greater than 25 epithelial cells/lpf suggesting oral contamination Interpretation: unsuitable for culture. Low power view.

G91 Greater than 25 epithelial cells/lpf suggesting oral contamination Interpretation: unsuitable for culture. Oil immersion view.
  • Blood culture and CSF isolates
Page 1

GS094-1 CSF smear: 2+ (1-5/oif) neutrophils, no organisms seen

GS092-1 CSF: CSF smear: 4+ (>10/oif) neutrophils, 3+ (11-50/oif) gram negative coccobacilli (Haemophilus species)

G083 CSF: no cells, 3+ yeast "suggestive of Cryptococcus"

G081 CSF shunt: no cells (no neutrophils), 2+ (2-10/oif) gram-positive bacilli (P. acnes M081-4)

G064, CSF Listeria monocytogenes M064-5

M044-4 Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

M043-5 Lactobacilli

M021-5 Lactococcus garvieae

M24-4 Fusobacterium nucleatum

G031 CSF: 3+-4+ neutrophils, 3+-4+ gram-negative bacilli/coccobacilli (Citrobacter koseri)

  • Wounds, aspirates, and other sample sources
Page 1 GS094-2 Joint Fluid smear: 4+ (>10/oif) neutrophils, 3+ (11-50/oif) gram positive cocci (Staphylococcus aureus)

G092 Neck Abscess Smear: 4+ (>10/oif) neutrophils,  3+ (11-50/oif) gram negative bacilli (Fusobacterium nucleatum).

G091 Diabetic Foot Ulcer - companion to M091-3: Pseudomonas aeruginosa 4+ (>10/oif) neutrophils and 3+ (11-50/oif) gram negative bacilli

G074 Tissue Gram smear - companion to M074-3: no cells seen, 2+ (2-10/oif) gram-positive bacilli, 2+ (2-10/oif) gram-negative bacilli

Clostridium perfringens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

G011 Abdominal wound : 4+ neutrophils and many (3+ - 4+)  gram-positive cocci (S. aureus and E. gallinarum)

G023 Deep wound abscess (human bite): 4+ neutrophils, 4+ gram-negative bacilli and/or 4+ gram-negative coccobacilli (B. fragilis and E. corrodens)

G042 Deep wound: 4+ (> 10 per low power field) neutrophils, 3+ (11-50/ oil immersion field) gram-positive cocci, 3+ (11-50/ oil immersion field) gram-negative bacilli or coccobacilli (S. aureus and B. fragilis)

G041 Neck aspirate: 4+ (>10/oif) neutrophils, 3+ (11-50/oif) gram-negative fusiform bacilli Culture M041-5 yeilded Fusobacterium nucleatum.

G053 Wound (post-operative infection): no cells seen, 3+ (11-50/oif) gram-negative bacilli, 3+ (11-50/oif) gram-positive bacilli, suggestive of Clostridia

M053-5 Wound - abdominal abscess: Enterobacter aerogenes and Clostridium septicum
G22 Wound - trauma associated burn (motor-cycle accident): 3+-4+ neutrophils, 3+-4+ gram-positive bacilli (Bacillus cereus)

G033 Leg wound (cellulitis): 3+(11-20) neutrophils, 4+ (>50) gram-negative coccobacilli (Pasteurella multocida)
Page 2

G094 Skin aspirate smear: 2+ (1-5/oif) neutrophils, 4+ (>50/oif) gram positive bacilli

GS092-2 Wound smear (Leg cellulitis): 4+ (>10/oif) neutrophils, 3+ (11-50/oif) gram positive cocci (Streptococcus species). Click on image to see a larger picture.

G024 Superficial leg abrasion: no neutrophils, 2+ epithelial cells, 4+ gram-positive bacilli (diphtheroids), 4+ gram-positive cocci, 1+ gram-negative bacilli and cocci. Interpretation: No inflammation and mixed organisms.

G072 Infected finger: 4+ (>10/oif) neutrophils,  3+ (11-50/oif) gram-positive cocci

G014 Superficial skin wound (leg abrasion) Interpretation: Skin flora and minimal inflammation.

G054  Ear (malignant otitis externa) smear: 3 + (11-50/oif) gram-negative bacilli, 3+ (11-50/oif) gram-positive cocci. No neutrophils present .
  • Genital samples
Page 1 G084 Bacterial vaginosis negative, 2+ (1-5/oif) yeast

G073 Urethra (male): 4+ neuthrophils, 2+ gram-negative diplococci

G062 Bartholin smear: 3+ neutrophils, 3+ gram-negative bacilli/coccobacilli (M062-2 grew H. influenzae)

G034 Urethra smear: 3+ (6-10) neutrophils, 3+ (10-20) gram-negative diplococci extra-and intracellular suggestive of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

G21 Male urethra smear: Neutrophils and gram-negative diplococci (Neisseria meningitidis)

G013 Urethral smear: non-gonococcal urethritis

G94 Vaginal smear: Not suggestive of bacterial vaginosis
  • Miscellaneous
  Page 1 Acid fast bacilli Kinyoun's Stain

M044-5 Corneal scraping: Mycobacterium chelonae RGMs

Sarcoptes scabei - found in a skin scraping

Size comparison of Serratia marcescens (G044) and Citrobacter koseri (G031).  
* Dear CMPT Participants - If you have any Gram smear photographs you wish to share with your colleagues on this web site, please forward a jpeg image with details about the image to Web manager and CMPT Editor.
*Credits: Most of the photographs shown of CMPT challenges were taken by Caleb Lee, CMPT's Senior Technologist and Suhanya Bhuvanendran, Research Technologist
top
Page revised: 27 July 2010