The morphology known as the 'seagull wings' on Gram stain is most characteristic of which organism?

The morphology known as the 'seagull wings' on Gram stain is most characteristic of which organism?

• A. Campylobacter jejuni
• B. Neisseria gonorrhoeae
• C. Plesiomonas shigelloides
• D. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

Answer: (A)

The seagull-wing appearance on Gram stain comes from curved, short, comma- or S-shaped gram-negative rods that often align in paired, wing-like figures. This distinctive morphology is characteristic of Campylobacter jejuni. The curved shape and the way adjacent cells pair up give that familiar seagull silhouette, which helps differentiate it from other organisms listed. Neisseria gonorrhoeae would be seen as diplococci rather than curved rods; Plesiomonas shigelloides is a curved rod but not typically described with that wing-like pairing; Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is a small, more rod-like coccobacillus without the curved, winged appearance.

The seagull-wing appearance on Gram stain comes from curved, short, comma- or S-shaped gram-negative rods that often align in paired, wing-like figures. This distinctive morphology is characteristic of Campylobacter jejuni. The curved shape and the way adjacent cells pair up give that familiar seagull silhouette, which helps differentiate it from other organisms listed. Neisseria gonorrhoeae would be seen as diplococci rather than curved rods; Plesiomonas shigelloides is a curved rod but not typically described with that wing-like pairing; Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is a small, more rod-like coccobacillus without the curved, winged appearance.