Indication: Pneumonia, bronchitis, tuberculosis-suspicion
- On the request of “pathogenic germs”, an aerobic culture is prepared and tested for fungus
- Evaluations for mycobacteria have to be specifically requested.
- The amount of causative infectious agents and the clinical value of the laboratory findings is highly dependent on the correct harvesting of sputum.
Instructions for patients on how to collect sputum:
Sputum is the secretion found in the airways, which is coughed up from the lung into the mouth. It usually looks purulent. Saliva (mouth fluids) from inside the mouth is not suitable for this test.
Please try to follow the following instructions:
- Remove lid from the sputum collection container.
- Take deep breaths. Hold breath for 3-5 seconds after each inhalation. Repeat several times if possible. Due to the breathing process, the lungs inflate and the production of sputum is stimulated.
- Inhale deeply again and cough up sputum.
- Tuberculosis diagnostics: Repeat coughing up of sputum 2-3 times to harvest the largest possible amount of sputum.
- Hand sputum container to staff without delay to enable quick transportation to the laboratory. By doing this, false findings due to prolonged storage can be avoided.
- Should you not be able cough up sputum from the lung please inform the staff and doctors.
- In case of bacterial pneumonia a single sputum sample of good quality (purulent, leucocytes) may be sufficient. Please remember concurrent taking of blood cultures.
- In case of tuberculosis, legionella- or fungal pneumonia the evaluation of several sputum samples over several days, preferably harvested in the mornings, is necessary. Collection of 24-hour sputum is obsolete.
- Sputum is sent to the laboratory in sputum sample tubes. The sample should be kept refrigerated to avoid overgrowth with germs from the oral microflora.
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