Sputum Culture

• Sputum expectorated
• Endotracheal Suction
• Endotracheal Tube Sputum
• Aerosole Induced Sputum
• Suction
• Tracheal Aspirate
• Transtracheal Aspirate

• Collect an early morning specimen from a deep productive cough. Instruct the patient not to expectorate saliva or postnasal discharge.
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.
• Remove the lid from the plastic sterile collection container , without touching the inside of the container or lid.
• Take a very deep breath and hold the air for 5 seconds. slowly breath out.
• Take another deep breath and cough hard until some sputum comes up into your mouth.
• Spit sputum from deep cough directly into the container
• Repeat until about nearly 5.0mL of sputum has been collected.
• Do not spit saliva or nasal /sinus discharge into container.
• Close lid tightly ,ensuring that it is not leaking.
• Place container in the the biohazard bag and seal the bag.
• Wash hands thoroughly again.
• If the specimen has a large number of epithelial cells (found in saliva), it will not be cultured as this indicates excessive oropharyngeal contamination. The specimen will be rejected and a new specimen will be requested.

Daily

Specimen should be transported to the laboratory ASAP after collection in biohazard bag.

Specimen should be stored at 2-8ºC after receipt in the laboratory.

Storage at room temperature can interfere with bacterial counts, rendering the specimen invalid.