Microbiology Reporting Methods: Introduction, List of Templates, and Keynotes

by

Introduction of Microbiology Reporting Methods

Microbiology Reporting Methods are useful to provide similar report formats from different Microbiology Laboratory platforms that should sound Microbiologically clear and concise. It should also be compatible with International Guidelines of Clinical Microbiology Practice like the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) previous National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) and the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) Guidelines.

Microbiology Reporting Methods Templates

Culture Negative Reports

Urine Culture:  No growth after 24 hours of incubation at 37°C.

Pus/ sterile body fluids Culture: No growth after 48 hours of incubation at 37°C.

Blood Culture: No growth after 5 days of incubation at 37°C.

Note: In case of reporting after 2 days/48 hours-

Kindly note:
Further incubation is on process. Result will be updated and client informed if any changes in the final report.

Sputum: No pathogen isolated after 48 hours of incubation at 37°C.

Stool: No enteric pathogen isolated.

Culture Positive Reports

Urine

 105CFU/mL of E. coli isolated.

 105 CFU/mL of Staphylococcus saprophyticus isolated.

Bacteria (Enterococcus) and fungus(Candida) growth on CLED agar of Urine Sample
Fig. Bacteria (Enterococcus) and fungus(Candida) growth on CLED agar of Urine Sample

Various bacterial growth on CLED agar of Urine specimen

Lactose fermenter bacteria, non-lactose fermenter bacteria, Mixed growth of bacteria, no growth of microbes, significant growth of uropathogens, non-significant growth of uropathogens, mucoid growth of bacteria on CLED agar demonstration
Lactose fermenter bacteria, non-lactose fermenter bacteria, Mixed growth of bacteria, no growth of microbes, significant growth of uropathogens, non-significant growth of uropathogens, mucoid growth of bacteria on CLED agar demonstration

Proteus growth on CLED medium

Proteus growth on CLED medium
Fig. Proteus growth on CLED medium

Staphylococcus aureus on CLED agar

Staphylococcus aureus on CLED agar
Fig. Staphylococcus aureus on CLED agar

Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus colony morphology on CLED agar

Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus colony morphology on CLED agar
Fig. Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus colony morphology on CLED agar

E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus colony characteristics on CLED agar

E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus colony characteristics on CLED agar
Fig. E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus colony characteristics on CLED agar

Other than Urine except for blood specimens

Heavy growth of Staphylococcus aureus isolated.

Heavy growth of Staphylococcus aureus on blood agar of pus culture showing beta-haemolytic colonies
Fig. Heavy growth of Staphylococcus aureus on blood agar of pus culture showing beta-haemolytic colonies

Light growth of Staphylococcus aureus isolated.

Moderate growth of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated.

Heavy growth of Escherichia coli isolated.

Heavy growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated.

Heavy growth of Enterococcus species isolated.

Heavy growth of Enterococcus species isolated.

Light growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated.

Heavy growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated

Moderate growth of Proteus vulgaris isolated.

Blood Culture (no need for grading)

Salmonella Typhi/ Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi isolated.

Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated.

Salmonella Typhi isolated from blood culture

Salmonella Typhi isolated from blood culture-Growth on Nutrient agar, blood agar and MacConkey medium, Biochemical reactions in TSI, SIM,Citrate and Urea agar, and growth on broth medium (blood culture bottle)-demonstration
Fig. Salmonella Typhi isolated from blood culture-Growth on Nutrient agar, blood agar, and MacConkey medium, Biochemical reactions in TSI, SIM, Citrate and Urea agar, and growth on broth medium (blood culture bottle)-demonstration

Salmonella Paratyphi isolated from blood culture

Salmonella Paratyphi isolated from blood culture-Growth on Nutrient agar, blood agar, and MacConkey agar, Biochemical tests in TSI, SIM, Citrate and Urea agar, and growth on blood culture bottle-demonstration
Fig. Salmonella Paratyphi isolated from blood culture-Growth on Nutrient agar, blood agar, and MacConkey agar, Biochemical tests in TSI, SIM, Citrate, and Urea agar, and growth on blood culture bottle-demonstration

BD Bactec Blood Culture Vial

BD Bactec Blood Culture Vial
Fig. BD Bactec Blood Culture Vial for children

Various Bacterial Growth on Blood Culture Bottles

Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli growth in blood culture bottles
Fig. Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli growth in blood culture bottles

Keynotes on Microbiology Reporting Methods

  • Urine-Contamination, please repeat the mid-stream urine (MSU) sample.
  • A non-Ideal smear of Sputum-Sputum for Gram Stain

Pus cells<25/LPF

Epithelial cells>10/LPF

Organism: Normal Upper Respiratory Tract Flora Seen 

Non-Ideal Smear of Sputum Demonstration
Fig. Non-Ideal Smear of Sputum Demonstration
Non-Ideal Smear of Sputum at a Magnification of 2000X Showing Epithelial Cells and Normal Flora
Fig. Non-Ideal Smear of Sputum at a Magnification of 2000X Showing Epithelial Cells and Normal Flora
  • Ideal smear-Sputum for Gram Stain

Pus cells>25/LPF

Epithelial cells<10/LPF

Organism: Numerous Gram-negative bacilli seen

Ideal smear of sputum showing numerous pus cells and only few epithelial cells at a magnification of 100X
Fig. Ideal smear of sputum showing numerous pus cells and only a few epithelial cells at a magnification of 100X
An ideal smear of sputum showing numerous pus cells and Gram-positive diplococci at a magnification of 2000X
Fig. An ideal smear of sputum showing numerous pus cells and Gram-positive diplococci at a magnification of 2000X
  • Body fluids-Gram stain

Pus cell: not seen

Organism: Not seen

  • In the case of reporting blood culture and sensitivity- No growth after 48 hours of incubation at 37°C. There should be template notes like-Further incubation will be up to 3 days. If there is any pathogen detected, the patient or his/her visitor will be contacted for the final report.
  • The remaining templates can be added according to facing the situation.

Contd…

Read Also...

3 thoughts on “Microbiology Reporting Methods: Introduction, List of Templates, and Keynotes”

Leave a Comment