Sputum Culture and Sensitivity (Aerobic) near me in Mumbai

The sputum sample is collected by asking the patient to cough up. The sample which is coughed up is expelled into a sterile cup provided by the laboratory. To collect the sputum sample, deep coughing is required. The patient is informed that mucus/phlegm is to be collected from the lungs, not the saliva. In case, a patient is not able to produce a sputum sample, it can be induced by guiding the patient to inhale a sterile saline or glycerine aerosol for several minutes. Doing this will loosen phlegm in the lungs. Apart from this, inhalation of steam or a hot shower can also aid in loosening the phlegm.

The patient is asked to brush their teeth before collecting the sample. Also, the patient is asked to avoid intake of food for at least 1-2 hours before the collection of the sample.

The signs and symptoms of respiratory diseases include cough, fever, chills, muscle aches, fatigue, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, and confusion.

A positive culture, sputum means that pathogenic organisms are present. Clinically, the signs and symptoms of lower respiratory tract infections are also correlated. The result is considered negative if there is no growth of pathogenic organisms for 24 or 48 hours. The reason for negative results could be the absence of sufficient quantity of pathogen in the sample. It is also possible that other tests may be required for the detection of pathogenic organisms such as Sputum or Smear AFB or Culture fungus.