An
elderly patient presents with fever, cough, and rusty colored sputum. What causative organisms are shown on the
gram stain of a sputum sample shown above?
Streptococcus pneumoniae are seen as lancet-shaped gram-positive diplococci. Degenerating nuclei of polymorphonuclear cells are the large darker irregular red shapes (arrow). Mucus and amorphous debris are present in the background.
S pneumoniae is a leading cause of pneumonia, acute purulent meningitis, bacteremia, and other invasive infections. Pneumococcal infections occur throughout life, but are most common in the very young (less than 2 years) and in the elderly (older than 60 years). Alcoholism, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal disease, asplenia, and some malignancies are associated with more frequent and serious pneumococcal infection.
Photo and explanation courtesy of: Medical Microbiology
Streptococcus pneumoniae are seen as lancet-shaped gram-positive diplococci. Degenerating nuclei of polymorphonuclear cells are the large darker irregular red shapes (arrow). Mucus and amorphous debris are present in the background.
ReplyDeleteS pneumoniae is a leading cause of pneumonia, acute purulent meningitis, bacteremia, and other invasive infections. Pneumococcal infections occur throughout life, but are most common in the very young (less than 2 years) and in the elderly (older than 60 years). Alcoholism, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal disease, asplenia, and some malignancies are associated with more frequent and serious pneumococcal infection.
Photo and explanation courtesy of: Medical Microbiology