The Gram stain morphology described as 'seagull wings' is associated with which organism?

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

Answer: (A)

Seagull-wing appearance on a Gram stain comes from Campylobacter jejuni being a curved, slender Gram-negative rod that often appears as paired, S- or C-shaped cells arranged at angles. That wing-like pairing is a distinctive smear clue for Campylobacter, making it the best match for this morphology. Campylobacter is a common cause of gastroenteritis and is classically associated with undercooked poultry or unpasteurized dairy products. In contrast, Neisseria gonorrhoeae shows Gram-negative diplococci; Plesiomonas shigelloides is a curved rod without the seagull-wing pairing; and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis appears as small Gram-negative coccobacilli, not the seagull-wing pattern.