sputum

(noun)

Matter coughed up and expectorated from the mouth, composed of saliva and discharges from the respiratory passages such as mucus, phlegm, or pus.

Related Terms

Examples of sputum in the following topics:

  • Tuberculosis

    • The classic symptoms of active TB infection are a chronic cough with blood-tinged sputum, fever, chills night sweats, and weight loss .
    • A chest x-ray and multiple sputum cultures for acid-fast bacilli are typically part of the initial evaluation.
    • A definitive diagnosis of TB is made by identifying M. tuberculosis in a clinical sample such as sputum, pus, or a tissue biopsy.
    • However, the difficult culture process for this slow-growing organism can take two to six weeks for blood or sputum culture.

  • Pneumocystis Pneumonia

    • Symptoms of PCP include fever, non-productive cough (because sputum is too viscous to become productive), shortness of breath (especially on exertion), weight loss, and night sweats.
    • There is usually not a large amount of sputum with PCP unless the patient has an additional bacterial infection.
    • The diagnosis can be definitively confirmed by histological identification of the causative organism in sputum or bronchio-alveolar lavage (lung rinse).

  • Blastomycosis

    • Once suspected, the diagnosis of blastomycosis can usually be confirmed by demonstration of the characteristic, broad-based budding organisms in sputum or tissues by KOH prep, cytology, or histology.

  • Cystic Fibrosis

    • Antibiotics are absolutely necessary whenever pneumonia is suspected or there has been a noticeable decline in lung function, and are usually chosen based on the results of a sputum analysis and the patient's past response.
    • Several mechanical techniques are used to dislodge sputum and encourage its expectoration.

  • Unclassified and Uncultured Bacteria

    • Often these techniques are designed for specific specimens; for example, a sputum sample will be treated to identify organisms that cause pneumonia, while stool specimens are cultured on selective media to identify organisms that cause diarrhoea while preventing growth of non-pathogenic bacteria.

  • Bacterial Pneumonias

    • Diagnostic tools include x-rays and culture of the sputum.

  • Immediate Direct Examination of Specimen

    • Sputum, the mucous secretion that coats the lower respiratory surfaces, especially the lungs, is discharged by coughing or taken by a catheterization to avoid contamination with saliva.

  • Pneumonia

    • Diagnostic tools include x-rays and examination of the sputum.

  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

    • The diagnosis of COPD should be considered in anyone who has dyspnea, chronic cough or sputum production, and/or a history of exposure to risk factors for the disease, such as regular tobacco smoking.

  • Coccidiomycosis

    • The fungal infection can be demonstrated by microscopic detection of diagnostic cells in body fluids, exudates, sputum and biopsy-tissue.