This sputum sample shows several intact neutrophils and gram-negative diplococci with flattened internal edges resembling Moraxella species or Neisseria species. By culture, the organism was identified as Moraxella catarrhalis.
Reproduced with permission from: Marler LM, Siders JA, Allen SD. Direct Smear Atlas: A Monograph of Gram-Stained Preparations of Clinical Specimens. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore 2001. Copyright © 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
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