Automated Gram-staining characterisation of bacterial cells using colour and cell wall properties

Abstract

In this paper, the Gram-staining technique is used as a tool for the differentiation of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as a first step to determine the identity of a particular bacterial sample. The automated image analysis has been developed for the monitoring of the Gram-staining characteristics of bacteria based on their colour and cell wall structure. The experimental results are compared with manual results obtained by microbiological expert. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method. Copyright © 2011 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.