What does gram-variable rods mean?

Gram-variable organisms are those that cannot be grouped as either negative or positive. The appearance of organisms that stain gram-positive or -negative means that the smear contains organisms. These organisms may be pathogenic or nonpathogenic.

What does gram-negative rods in blood culture mean?

Gram-negative bacteria cause infections including pneumonia, bloodstream infections, wound or surgical site infections, and meningitis in healthcare settings. Gram-negative bacteria are resistant to multiple drugs and are increasingly resistant to most available antibiotics.

What does a gram-positive blood culture mean?

A blood culture is a test that checks for foreign invaders like bacteria, yeast, and other microorganisms in your blood. Having these pathogens in your bloodstream can be a sign of a blood infection, a condition known as bacteremia. A positive blood culture means that you have bacteria in your blood.

What causes gram-variable?

Certain gram-positive bacteria lose some of their cell wall properties with age or exposure to harsh or bacterial static/ bactericidal agents causing them to appear gram-negative or gram-variable.

Why are there two sets of blood cultures?

Usually, two blood samples are collected from different veins to increase the likelihood of detecting bacteria or fungi if they are present in the blood.

What are examples of gram variable bacteria?

Cocci: Neisseria gonorrheae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Moraxella species. Bacilli: Escherichia coil, Pseudomonas species, Proteus species, and Klebsiella species. Examples of gram variable organisms include: Actinomyces species.

What bacteria are gram variable rods?

Gram-variable: bacteria that partially retain the purple color of the crystal violet in the Gram stain; most com- monly seen with Bacillus spp., Clostridium spp., Acineto- bacter spp., Streptococcus pneumoniae.

What are examples of Gram positive rods?

Bacilli and cocci are important forms of Gram-positive bacteria. Some of the examples of Gram-positive cocci are Micrococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., and Staphylococcus spp. Amongst rod-shaped (bacilli), Listeria spp. and C. tetanomorphum are the important ones.

What is the treatment for Gram negative rods?

Vancomycin can be used for gram-positive cocci, ceftriaxone for gram-negative cocci, and ceftazidime for gram-negative rods. If the Gram stain is negative, but there is strong clinical suspicion for bacterial arthritis, treatment with vancomycin plus ceftazidime or an aminoglycoside is appropriate.

What are the most common Gram positive rods?

the coryneforms (diphtheroids) are the most common skin contaminants encountered in the laboratory.

What is a Gram variable stain?

1 ANSWERS. Gram variable means that the bacterium under question stains sometimes like a gram + organism, and sometimes like a gram -. There are several possibilities of what’s going on…