Gram\'s stain report of bone marrow aspirate that proved to be a lifesaver in a case of fever of unknown origin

Sumana Mahadevaaiah Neelambike; Sowmya Govindanahalli Shivappa; Chetak Kadbasal Basavaraj

doi:10.4103/jacm.jacm_32_18

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Gram's stain report of bone marrow aspirate that proved to be a lifesaver in a case of fever of unknown origin

Sumana Mahadevaaiah Neelambike, Sowmya Govindanahalli Shivappa, Chetak Kadbasal Basavaraj

Keywords : Bone marrow aspirate, fever of unknown origin, Gram's stain

Citation Information : Neelambike SM, Shivappa SG, Basavaraj CK. Gram's stain report of bone marrow aspirate that proved to be a lifesaver in a case of fever of unknown origin. 2019; 21 (1):44-46.

DOI: 10.4103/jacm.jacm_32_18

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 30-06-2019

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Abstract

Gram's stain is an invaluable, simple and inexpensive staining technique which gives a clue to the aetiological bacterial agent, thus helping in choosing the appropriate antibiotic. The significance of Gram's stain in bone marrow aspirate has not been described in previous literature. This is the case report of a child who presented with fever of unknown origin, where all high-end investigations proved inconclusive, but Gram's stain of bone marrow showed both extra-cellular and intra-cellular gram-positive cocci in clusters morphologically resembling Staphylococcus. This report helped the paediatricians choose the right antibiotic that proved to be a lifesaver of the child.

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Volk EE, Miller ML, Kirkley BA, Washington JA. The diagnostic usefulness of bone marrow cultures in patients with fever of unknown origin. Am J Clin Pathol 1998;110:150-3.

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