Bacterial Buzz Words and Morphology

• Give the bacteria's name based on buzz words and ring-a-lings!

  1. Lancet or bullet-shaped diplococci = Streptococcus pneumoniae
  2. Pleomorphic, AEROBIC Pallisades, XYVL formation, Chinese letter = Corynebacterium diptheriae
  3. ANAEROBIC bacteria that has a characteristic "pallisade" formation = Cutibacterium acnes
  4. "Clue Cells", squamous EC with numerous bacilli attached to it; one of the Etiologic Agent for Bacterial Vaginosis= Gardnerella vaginalis
  5. Toothpick bailli, a rod with tapered ends = Fusobacterium nucleatum
• Give the bacteria's name based on buzz words and ring-a-lings!

  1. LOOSELY coiled spirochete = Borrelia spp.
  2. Comma shaped bacterial rods capable of inducing dehydration via diarrhea and will only grow on medium with increased salt concentration = Vibrio cholerae
  3. TIGHTLY coiled spirochete with one or both ends bent to shape like a "hook" = Leptospira spp
  4. A fusiformed anaerobic bacteria with 1 round end and 1 blunt end = Leptotrichia spp
  5. Acid fast bacilli that has a characteristic Cigar-shaped or cigar-packet morphology when viewed under the microscope = Mycobacterium leprae
• Give the bacteria's name based on buzz words and ring-a-lings!

  1. Bacterial species with the characteristic "safety pin" appearance = Yersinia pestis, Pasteurella multocida, Bacteriodes fragilis, Chlamydia granulomatis
  2. Anaerobe with BIFID or BIFURCATED ENDS; bone-shaped dog biscuit = Bifidobacterium bifidum
  3. "Croissant" morphology = Microbacterium microti
  4. S-shaped bacilli, "wings of seagulls", darting motility = Campylobacter spp
  5. S-shaped bacilli, "wings of seagulls", no motility = Eubacterium spp.
• Give the bacteria's name bases of buzz words and ring-a-lings!

  1. School of fish, Railroad tracks, or fingerprint appearance = Haemophilus ducreyi
  2. Elongated and foot-ball shaped = C. clostridioforme
  3. Rosette arrangement in gram-stained smears = Cardiobacterium hominis
• "Shepherd's Cross"

  1. Bacteria = Mycobacterium kansasii (Yellow Bacillus)
  2. Virus = Marburg Virus
  3. Protozoan = Chilomastix mesnili
  4. Nematode = Streptocerca
• Organism and their colony appearance

  1. Neisseria elongata = smooth , glistening, clay-like
  2. Staphylocaoccus aureus = buttery, cream-yellow
  3. Nocardia = Brittle, crumbly, wrinkled
  4. Mycoplasma = Fried egg on BAP
  5. Bordetella pertussis = Shiny half pearls on BAP; Mercury droplets
  6. Pseudomonas aeruginosa = Greenish metallic sheen on BAP; Serrated confluent growth on cetrimide agar
  7. Escherichia coli = Greenish metallic sheen on EMB
  8. Clostridium difficile = Fluourescence chartreuse on BAP
• Swarming on SBA/CHOC Agar

  • Gram (-): Proteus spp.
  • Gram (+): Clostridium tetani and Clostridium septicum
• Streptococcus pneumoniae:

  • Young colonies (24 hrs): Dome-shaped
  • Aged colonies (after 48 hrs): Crater-like, nail-head appearing, colonies with checker appearance, umbilicated, "coin with a raised rim" or flat with penny edge
• Identify the bacteria and/or their respective colony appearance!

  • S. agalactiae: Semi-opaque colonies, "bull's eye" appearing, gram (+)
  • Moraxella catarrhalis: Hockey puck colonies, tenacious colonies with beaten egg white consistency
  • Bacillus anthracis: Colonies with "swirling projections" appearing like Medusa head, lion head, comet tail appearance
  • Corynebacterium diptheriae: Gray to black on CTBA and black colonies with brown halo on Tinsdale
• Identify the bacteria and/or their respective colony appearance

  • Rhodococcus: Salmon pink pigmentation on BAP
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Cauliflower-like growth
  • Mycobacterium xenopei: Bird's nest appearing colonies on cornmeal agar
  • Mycobacterium bovis: Water droplet appearing colonies
• CIN Agar can grow two bacteria. What are they, where do they differ, what is the appearance of their colonies?

  • Aeromonas spp = oxidase (+)
  • Yersinia enterocolitica = oxidase (-)

  Both have a "bull's eye" appearance on the agar
• Identify the bacteria and/or their respective colony appearance

  • Pseudomonas stutzeri: Non-fermenter, wrinkled colonies
  • Burkholderia pseudomallei: Non-fermenter, wrinkled colonies with earthy odor
  • Haemophilus influenzae: Shows satellitism, luxuriant growth near the source of the incorporated V factor
  • Actinomyces israelii: Molar tooth appearance
• Identify the bacteria and/or their respective colony appearance

  • Clostridium septicum: Colonies with rhizoid margins appearing like "medusa head"
  • Fusobacterium nucleatum: Speckled and smooth; bread crumb-like, "the agar turns green when exposed to air"
  • Peptostreptococcus anaerobius: Sweet, fetid odor
  • Fusobacterium varium: Colonies showing "fried egg"
  • Prevotella species: Anaerobes showing red fluorescence under UV
  • Porphyromonas species: Anaerobes that can pit and corrode agar
• Identify the bacteria and/or their respective colony appearance

  • Staphylococcus aureus: Colonies with an odor similar to an old sock on MSA
• What unique growth characteristic does Bacillus anthracis exhibit on gelatin media?


  Inverted fir tree or inverted pine tree appearance
• How does Clostridium difficile appear on BAP and CCFA?


  Fluoresces chartreuse and has a horse stable or barn yard odor
• What is the growth pattern of Listeria monocytogenes on agar surface?


  Umbrella-like growth
• What unique growth characteristic does Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae display?


  Bottle brush-like, test tube brush-like, or pipe cleaner pattern of growth
• What odor is associated with Proteus mirabilis?


  Burnt chocolate or burnt gunpowder odor
• What pigment does Chromobacter violaceum produce?


  Violet pigment (violacein)
• What is the colony odor associated with Chromobacter violaceum?


  Ammonium cyanide odor
• What pigmentation is characteristic of Prevotella melaninogenica?


  Brown-black pigmentation
• What pigmentation is associated with Kluyvera spp.?


  Blue pigmentation
• What odor is associated with P. mirabilis?


  Putrid odor
• What unique smell is associated with Nocardia?


  Freshly plowed field odor
• What appearance does Legionella exhibit?


  Ground glass appearance
• How can M. leprae be maintained alive?


  Using mice foot pads or foot pads of armadillo
• What is the culturing status of T. pallidum?

  Non-culturable on routine media but can be cultivated using testicles of rabbits and harvest them on the chancre that appears on it.
• What growth pattern does S. moniliformis exhibit in broth?


  Breadcrumbs, puff balls/fluff balls growth
• On a tubed media, what is the characteristic colony morphology of Yersinia pestis?


  Stalactite growth on broth that shows a (+) Fluouresence
• What bacteria gives off a characteristic "butter scotch" odor?

  Streptococcus angionosus
• What bacteria produces the dye Pyocyanin, Pyoverdin, and Pyorubin?


  Pseudomonas aeruginosa