Multicenter Assessment of Gram Stain Error Rates

Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Linoj P SamuelRobert Cavagnolo

Abstract

Gram stains remain the cornerstone of diagnostic testing in the microbiology laboratory for the guidance of empirical treatment prior to availability of culture results. Incorrectly interpreted Gram stains may adversely impact patient care, and yet there are no comprehensive studies that have evaluated the reliability of the technique and there are no established standards for performance. In this study, clinical microbiology laboratories at four major tertiary medical care centers evaluated Gram stain error rates across all nonblood specimen types by using standardized criteria. The study focused on several factors that primarily contribute to errors in the process, including poor specimen quality, smear preparation, and interpretation of the smears. The number of specimens during the evaluation period ranged from 976 to 1,864 specimens per site, and there were a total of 6,115 specimens. Gram stain results were discrepant from culture for 5% of all specimens. Fifty-eight percent of discrepant results were specimens with no organisms reported on Gram stain but significant growth on culture, while 42% of discrepant results had reported organisms on Gram stain that were not recovered in culture. Upon review of available slides, ...Continue Reading

References

Dec 1, 1982·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·C J ShanholtzerL R Peterson
Apr 1, 1984·Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease·J I MangelsL H Lindberg
Mar 8, 2000·Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine·D L ChurchB Unger
Aug 13, 2004·Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·Daniel M MusherAnna Wanahita
May 6, 2005·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Shan YuanAjit P Limaye
Oct 4, 2005·Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine·Richard J ZarboStephen S Raab
Oct 4, 2005·Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine·Stephen S RaabChris Jensen
Jun 20, 2006·Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology·Stephen S RaabDana M Grzybicki
Oct 20, 2006·American Journal of Clinical Pathology·Kenneth H Rand, Maria Tillan
Feb 16, 2007·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Mette SøgaardHenrik C Schønheyder
May 26, 2007·Clinical Chemistry·Paolo Carraro, Mario Plebani
Aug 31, 2007·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Erik MunsonRonald F Schell
Jul 17, 2008·American Journal of Clinical Pathology·Frederick A MeierStephen S Raab
Oct 30, 2009·American Journal of Clinical Pathology·Yuki UeharaKazunari Kumasaka
Aug 16, 2011·Advances in Anatomic Pathology·Frederick A MeierRichard J Zarbo
Nov 19, 2011·The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal·Kate BrizziSamir S Shah
Jul 19, 2013·Journal of Patient Safety·John T James
Sep 10, 2013·Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry·M PlebaniM L Chiozza
Feb 28, 2014·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Linoj Samuel, Susan Novak-Weekley
Mar 14, 2014·Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine : CCLM·Mario PlebaniZorica Sumarac

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Dec 1, 2017·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Kenneth P SmithJames E Kirby
Dec 15, 2017·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Stephen M Brecher
Jun 24, 2018·Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine : CCLM·Linoj P Samuel
Jul 24, 2018·Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics·Joshua T BramTodd J Blumberg
Mar 25, 2016·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Richard B Thomson
Jan 31, 2020·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Karen C CarrollFrederick S Nolte
Oct 9, 2016·Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine : CCLM·Linoj Samuel, Mario Plebani
Jan 13, 2017·Sexually Transmitted Diseases·Aradhana BhargavaAshok Kumar Saxena
Mar 15, 2018·Journal of Intensive Care Medicine·Maureen Campion, Gail Scully
Apr 10, 2019·Current Pediatric Reviews·Pablo Yagupsky
Oct 2, 2019·Frontiers in Microbiology·Bryce WolfeThaddeus G Golos
Sep 25, 2020·BMC Ophthalmology·Punyanuch PisitpayatKaevalin Lekhanont
Sep 18, 2020·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Neele J FroböseFrieder Schaumburg
Mar 10, 2021·Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics·Joseph M Blondeau, Shelley C Rankin
May 9, 2021·European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases : Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology·Adrien FischerAbdessalam Cherkaoui
May 28, 2021·RSC Medicinal Chemistry·Samantha J BannStephen A Cochrane
Feb 19, 2021·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Linoj P SamuelUNKNOWN ASM Clinical and Public Health Microbiology Committee
Mar 28, 2020·Clinical Microbiology and Infection : the Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases·K P Smith, J E Kirby
Aug 20, 2020·Journal of Biomedical Informatics·Garrett EickelbergYuan Luo

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.