Common Causes
the test. Collecting your sputum sample 1. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water before and after carrying out the sputum test. 2. Do some exercises to help loosen any sputum (mucus, phlegm) before you start the sputum test. Try some long huffs (see What is a huff? on page 3), a cough and then clear your throat to gather the sample in your mouth and spit it into the pot provided (Picture 1). Picture 1
Related Conditions
Your doctor will probably need about 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) of sputum to run the test. Try to spit out as much sputum and as little saliva as you can. There are no known risks to the test.
How should I collect the sputum sample for a test?
There is no fixed price for a sputum culture test. Instead, the cost depends on multiple factors including: Charges for testing can include fees for services provided by the doctor during consultation, the health care provider who collects the sputum sample, and the laboratory that performs the test.
How much sputum is needed for a TB test?
What to expect during a sputum test?
- Off-white, yellow or green sputum can indicate you have pneumonia or bronchitis
- Red or rusty can indicate you have a more serious condition that needs more testing
- Grey or back can indicate that you are a smoker or someone who works in a sooty place (like a coal mine)
How much do sputum test costs?
What does my sputum test report indicate?
What happens if sputum test is positive?
A sample of sputum is added to a substance that promotes the growth of bacteria. If no bacteria grow, the culture is negative. If bacteria grow, the culture is positive. If TB bacteria grow, then the person has tuberculosis.
What can be detected in a sputum test?
A sputum culture is most often used to: Find and diagnose bacteria or fungi that may be causing an infection in the lungs or airways. See if a chronic illness of the lungs has worsened. See if treatment for an infection is working.
What infections can be found in sputum?
The most common pathogens detected with a sputum culture are bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella species.
Can sputum test detect pneumonia?
Pneumonia can prevent your lungs from moving enough oxygen into your bloodstream. Sputum test. A sample of fluid from your lungs (sputum) is taken after a deep cough and analyzed to help pinpoint the cause of the infection.
Why would a doctor order a sputum test?
A sputum test, also known as a sputum culture, is a test that your doctor may order when you have a respiratory tract infection or other lung-related disorder to determine what is growing in the lungs. Sputum is a thick substance that accumulates when bacteria or fungi grows and multiples in the lungs or bronchi.
How long does a sputum sample take to come back?
To give bacteria time to grow, the culture is not normally analyzed until at least 24 hours have passed. As a result, it can take a few days for a sputum culture test result to be available. The results of a sputum culture will normally be provided by a member of your health care team.
What type of diseases produce a lot of sputum?
Bronchiectasis is a long-term condition where the airways of the lungs become abnormally widened, leading to a build-up of excess mucus that can make the lungs more vulnerable to infection. The most common symptoms of bronchiectasis include: a persistent cough that usually brings up phlegm (sputum)
What is sputum a symptom of?
Mucus in the lungs is known as phlegm or sputum. It is a common symptom in chronic lung diseases such as COPD (including chronic bronchitis and emphysema), cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, NTM lung disease or asthma.
What happens if your sputum test is negative?
If your test results are normal, or negative, this means no mycobacterial organisms were found. If the test is abnormal, it means the stain is positive for one of the following organisms: M. tuberculosis.
What color sputum indicates infection?
Mucus is usually clear, gray, or white. Green or yellow mucus may be a sign of an infection. Brown mucus can affect people who smoke and those with black lung disease, which results from exposure to coal dust.
What is the difference between phlegm and sputum?
Sputum, or phlegm, is a type of mucus secreted by cells in the lower airways (bronchi and bronchioles) of the respiratory tract.
What does your sputum look like if you have pneumonia?
A classic sign of bacterial pneumonia is a cough that produces thick, blood-tinged or yellowish-greenish sputum with pus. Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs.
What can be diagnosed with a positive sputum culture?
If the sputum sample is abnormal, the results are called "positive." Identifying bacteria, fungi, or viruses in the sputum may help diagnose the cause of: Bronchitis (swelling and inflammation in the main passages that carry air to the lungs) Lung abscess (collection of pus in the lung) Pneumonia.
What does white blood cells in sputum mean?
Generally, with regard to Gram-stained sputum, the presence of the engulfment (phagocytosis) of bacteria by white blood cells (WBCs) is considered a sign of infection caused by those organisms.
For what conditions are sputum specimens collected?
Why is a sputum test necessary? Your doctor wants to collect some of the sputum ("phlegm") that you cough up from your lungs. The laboratory will test the sputum for tuberculosis (TB) germs. Checking your sputum is the best way to find out if you have TB disease.
What happens if your sputum test is negative?
If your test results are normal, or negative, this means no mycobacterial organisms were found. If the test is abnormal, it means the stain is positive for one of the following organisms: M. tuberculosis.
How Does the Test Work?
Most of the time, you’ll be asked to try to cough up some sputum and spit it into a clean cup for testing.
What causes a cough?
But you might need to give a sputum culture if: 1 Your cough suggests you have an illness caused by bacteria, such as bronchitis, pneumonia or tuberculosis (a potentially serious infection that usually affects your lungs and can cause you to cough up blood ). 2 Your cough might be caused by other microbes, such as a fungus or a virus.
What does it mean when your sputum is yellow?
It can give clues as to what’s going on: Off-white, yellow or green:This mean your sputum probably includes large numbers of infection-fighting white blood cells-- a sign of a respiratory illness such as pneumonia or bronchitis.
How much sputum do you need for a sputum test?
Your doctor will probably need about 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) of sputum to run the test.
What is a sputum culture?
A sputum cultureis a sample of the gooey substance that often comes up from your chest when you have an infection in your lungsor airways. It is mostly made up of white blood cells that fight infection mixed with germs. Doctors use it to figure out what might be causing your illness, whether it’s bacteria, a virus or something else.
What is the body's sputum?
Why Your Body Makes Sputum. Your lungsare connected to your mouthby a passage called the trachea, or windpipe, which starts at the back of your throat. A few inches down, it splits into separate channels called bronchi, which funnel air from the trachea into your lungs.
Why do you need a test for infection?
Those tests will help separate the normal bacteria that are present in your body from the disease-causing bugs that may be making you sick. If an infection is found, additional tests can clarify what antibiotic to prescribe.
What is a sputum culture?
A sputum culture is a test that checks for bacteria or another type of organism that may be causing an infection in your lungs or the airways leading to the lungs. Sputum, also known as phlegm, is a thick type of mucus made in your lungs. If you have an infection or chronic illness affecting the lungs or airways, it can make you cough up sputum.
What happens during a sputum culture?
Your health care provider will need to get a sample of your sputum. During the test:
Is there anything else I need to know about a sputum culture?
Sputum may be referred to as phlegm or mucus. All terms are correct, but sputum and phlegm only refer to the mucus made in the respiratory system (lungs and airways). Sputum (phlegm) is a type of mucus. Mucus can also be made elsewhere in the body, such as the urinary or genital tract.
Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?
You may need to rinse your mouth out with water before the sample is taken. If you will be getting a bronchoscopy, you may be asked to fast ( not eat or drink) for one to two hours before the test.
What do the results mean?
If your results were normal, it means no harmful bacteria or fungi were found. If your results were not normal, it may mean you have some kind of bacterial or fungal infection. Your provider may need to do more tests to find the specific type of infection you have. The most common types of harmful bacteria found in a sputum culture include those that cause:
What does it mean when sputum is clear?
Clear. This usually means no disease is present, but large amounts of clear sputum may be a sign of lung disease.
Why is sputum color important?
The thickness of sputum helps trap the foreign material. This allows cilia (tiny hairs) in the airways to push it through the mouth and be coughed out. Sputum can be one of several different colors. The colors can help identify the type of infection you may have or if a chronic illness has become worse: Clear.
What are the side effects associated with a sputum test?
Although there are not any major side effects associated with having a sputum culture, deep coughing can cause some minor discomfort. You may also feel light chest pain after giving a sample .
What to expect during a sputum test?
During a sputum test, you will be asked to cough deeply enough to bring up a large quantity of sputum so your doctor can evaluate it. The most challenging part of the test is to produce a sample size large enough for it to be tested. Saliva that lives in the upper airways is not useful for this test.
What is sputum culture?
A sputum test, also known as a sputum culture, is a test that your doctor may order when you have a respiratory tract infection or other lung-related disorder to determine what is growing in the lungs. Sputum is a thick substance that accumulates when bacteria or fungi grows and multiples in the lungs or bronchi.
How long does it take for a sputum sample to be sent to a lab?
Your sputum sample will be sent to a laboratory within one to hours of production. A pathologist will run tests to determine if the growth is a bacterium, virus or fungus. There are some bacteria in the lungs that grow naturally, so it is important to determine what is making you sick and what bacteria are healthy.
What does it mean when your sputum is yellow?
Off-white, yellow or green sputum can indicate you have pneumonia or bronchitis. Red or rusty can indicate you have a more serious condition that needs more testing.
What causes respiratory problems?
Bacteria, viruses and fungi can cause respiratory conditions. By understanding the cause of your symptoms, your doctor can more effectively treat your condition.
Why is sputum produced?
Sputum is produced when a person’s lungs are diseased or damaged. Sputum is not saliva but the thick mucus – sometimes called phlegm – which is coughed up from the lungs. The body produces mucus to keep the thin, delicate tissues of the respiratory tract moist so that small particles of foreign matter that may pose a threat can be trapped ...
What is sputum in coughing?
Sputum is a type of mucus that may be expelled when coughing. There are many different reasons for the body to produce excess sputum. Below is a list of some of these causes, along with how the sputum may appear.
Why is my sputum yellow?
Some infections may cause sputum to be yellow, gray, or rusty colored.
What causes breathing difficulties in a fibrotic patient?
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease caused by a defective gene. It leads to smaller airways becoming blocked by thick mucus, which causes breathing difficulties.
How to treat bronchitis at home?
Most cases of acute bronchitis can be treated at home with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and by drinking plenty of fluids.
What is the body's response to excess mucus?
Sometimes, such as when there is an infection in the lungs, an excess of mucus is produced. The body attempts to get rid of this excess by coughing it up as sputum.
Why do doctors ask for a blood count?
As well as a sputum culture test, a doctor may ask for someone to have a complete blood count to look for any other signs of illness.
How much sputum do you need for a lab?
The laboratory needs at least 2 milliliters of sputum for testing. To cough deeply from your lungs, you might need to take three deep breaths before you cough forcefully. If you’re having trouble coughing up enough sputum, your doctor may try tapping on your chest to loosen the sputum.
How to get a good sputum sample?
There are a few techniques you can try to get a good sputum sample, however. Drinking plenty of fluids can help loosen the secretions and make it easier to cough up sputum. Your doctor may ask you to rinse out your mouth with clear water to help get rid of any other bacteria and extra saliva.
What is a sputum culture?
If you experience any of these symptoms, your doctor may recommend a sputum culture. This fast, relatively painless test helps laboratory technicians study the bacteria or fungi that might be growing in your lungs and causing the production of the sputum. This can help them find the cause of your illness. Often the most difficult part of ...
How long does it take for a sputum sample to be taken to the lab?
Once you’ve produced a sputum sample for analyzing, it should be taken to the laboratory within one to two hours of coughing it up. The laboratory will place the sample on a special plate that has a nutrient that helps bacteria or other pathogens present in your sputum grow.
Why is it hard to breathe?
When you have a respiratory tract infection or a lung-related disorder, your lungs produce a thick substance known as sputum. This substance can make it hard to breathe, cause coughing, and harbor bacteria. If you experience any of these symptoms, your doctor may recommend a sputum culture.
Where does sputum collect?
Sputum collects in the lower parts of your lungs and bronchi, which are the tube-like pathways that air moves through to reach your lungs. Symptoms that may indicate the need for a sputum culture test include: The test can reveal what may be causing the cough and other symptoms. These include:
What are the symptoms of a syringe?
The test can reveal what may be causing the cough and other symptoms. These include: 1 bronchitis 2 a lung abscess 3 pneumonia 4 tuberculosis 5 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 6 cystic fibrosis
What does it mean when you have a normal sputum test?
A normal test result means that few white blood cells and no bacteria have been found in your sputum sample, and your symptoms may be due to other causes.
What does it mean when a sputum test shows a Gram positive?
If the test results from your sputum Gram’s stain are abnormal, it means that bacteria and white blood cells have been detected. The bacteria found will be Gram-positive or Gram-negative. Common Gram-positive bacteria detected by the test include: Staphylococcus. Streptococcus.
How long can you keep sputum in the refrigerator?
You can refrigerate it for up to 24 hours if needed, but you shouldn’t freeze it or store it at room temperature. If you can’t cough up enough sputum, try breathing steam in from boiling water, or take a hot steamy shower. The sputum sample must come from deep inside your lungs for the test to be accurate.
What to do if you can't cough up enough sputum?
If you still can’t cough up enough sputum, your doctor will likely do a bronchoscopy to collect sputum directly from your lungs.
What is a sputum gram?
A sputum Gram’s stain is a laboratory test that allows your doctor to diagnose a bacterial infection in your respiratory tract. They may order it if you have symptoms of a respiratory infection that might be caused by bacteria. It’s the most common preliminary test beyond a chest X-ray for pneumonia and other respiratory infections, ...
Why do you get a sputum stain?
Your doctor may order a sputum Gram’s stain to help identify the cause of pneumonia. This is an infection that can affect your lower respiratory tract. It’s often caused by microorganisms, like bacteria, viruses, or fungi.
What is the stain used to analyze sputum?
At the laboratory, a technician will analyze your sputum sample using a sputum Gram’s stain.
