1 )A 2-year-old child has high fever, is irritable, and has a stiff neck. Gram-stain smear of spinal fluid reveals gram-negative, small pleomorphic coccobacillary organisms. Which of the following is the most appropriate procedure to follow to reach an etiological diagnosis?
A. Culture the spinal fluid in chocolate blood agar and identify the organism by growth factors. B. Culture the spinal fluid in mannitol salt agar. C. Perform a catalase test of the isolated organism. D. Perform a coagulase test with the isolate. E. Perform a latex agglutination test to detect the specific antibody in the spinal fluid.
