Normal range: Negative
Comment: For many clinical specimens, a direct Gram stain is performed upon specimen receipt. The direct Gram stain reveals information about specimen quality (e.g., by comparing numbers of Squamous epithelial cells and polymorphonuclear neutrophils in sputum specimens) presence or absence of potential pathogens, and initial presumptive morphologic categorization of potential pathogens (e.g., yeasts, gram – positive cocci vs. gram-negative bacilli, etc). Gram stain results can provide a guide for initial empiric therapy, and should be correlated with subsequent Culture results to help to ascertain the significance of organisms isolated from clinical specimens
Sample: Duplicate of specimen appropriate for routine culture of the specific site