Sputum culture, routine (Calgary/South)
- Test Name:
- Sputum culture, routine (Calgary/South)
- Organism(s)/Disease(s):
-
Haemophilus influenzae
Moraxella catarrhalis
Nocardia species
Pneumonia, bacterial
Respiratory infection
Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Body Source(s):
-
Auger suction
Endotracheal tube aspirate (ETA)
Sputum, expectorated
Sputum, induced
Tracheostomy tube aspirate
-
Clinical Prerequisite(s):
-
- Collection Device/Tube Type:
-
60 mL sterile, plastic container
- Collection Instructions:
-
Specimen Information:
- Collect sputum samples before the initiation of antibiotics for following treatment failure
- Sputum culture is not necessary for the diagnosis of pneumonia in patients not admitted to hospital
- Optimum sputum sample: the result of a deep cough, thick of nature, and not saliva
Collection Instructions:
- Handling and Storage:
-
Store at room temperature for up to 2 hours
- Handling/Storage Comments:
-
Laboratory: Refrigerate the specimen if a delay in transport to the testing laboratory (DSC Microbiology) is expected
Only specimens from the following units can be transported STAT to the testing lab:
• Intensive Care units (ICU)
• Neonatal Intensive Care units (NICU)
• Special Care Nurseries (SCN)
Specimens must be received at the DSC Microbiology laboratory within 2 hours of receipt in the hospital lab
- Rejection Criteria:
-
- Mislabelled or unlabelled specimen/requisition
- Leaking specimen
- Sputum samples heavily contaminated with saliva
- If more than one specimen is received on the same day, then only one is processed
- Turnaround Times
- See Microbiology Information»
- Comments:
-
If the patient is at risk for dimorphic/endemic fungi or invasive mold infections, collect a specimen for fungal culture as per Fungal culture, sputum (Calgary/South)
- Last Reviewed:
- 19 May 2023
