Unfortunately bacteria have over the decades demonstrated a stanch refusal to comply with the microscopic morphologies described in textbooks. Mucus and Crystal Violet Precipitation On the brighter side, there are some tips which can be used to guide you in the right direction when deciding how to report bacteria. In practice, if streptococci grow on culture rather than staphylococci, a corrected report is unnecessary because of the use of this qualifier. Most of the time it is unimportant to use generic or specific codes in narrowing down an identification of bacteria on lower quality specimens. There is no advantage in reporting Gram-positive cocci resembling streptococci in a stool specimen since this is representative of normal flora.
Specific descriptions are superfluous.
Do not report GNC's from a stool specimen. Otherwise the physician may feel compelled to pursue possible rectal carriage of Neisseria . This is suggestive of pneumonia caused by Haemophilus influenzae . This is suggestive of pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae . So you see a bug on a Gram stain in a high quality specimen.