You are working in a clinical laboratory in a hospital setting. You're handed a throat swab from a patient. You are told specifically that the physician is only interested in what Gram positive cells are present. What might you do first to go about working towards this goal? Identification isn't the main goal here-just a first step to work towards determining what Gram positive cells might be there.

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The first step towards identifying Gram positive cells in a throat swab would be to perform a Gram stain. This will allow you to visualize and differentiate between Gram positive and Gram negative cells based on their cell wall structure. Once that is done, you can proceed with streaking the sample for isolation on a medium selective for Gram positive cells or growing them in a liquid medium for further identification.

You Are Working in a Clinical Laboratory in a Hospital