The process involving the culture, isolation, and identification of microorganisms is basic to medical microbiology. When a culture shows signs of growth, the process of identification includes examining the following characteristics:
- Appearance of the colonies in the culture medium
- Staining reaction
- Appearance of stained organisms, including the:
- Size
- Shape
- Arrangement of bacterial cells
Importance
Based on the colony characteristics, the Gram-stained smear can provide additional information to confirm initial impressions further and guide the microbiologist toward identification. This preliminary identification may help the physician initiate the appropriate antibiotic treatment. Always provide the physician with as much preliminary information as possible.
