Saturday, February, 11, 2012

Routine sputum culture

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Sputum culture


Normal Values

In a normal sputum sample there will be no disease-causing organisms present.


What abnormal results mean

If the sputum sample is abnormal, the results are called "positive." Identifying disease-producing organisms may help diagnose:

  • Bronchitis
  • Lung abscess
  • Pneumonia
  • Tuberculosis

Other conditions under which the test may be performed:

  • Aspiration pneumonia
  • Atypical mycobacterial infection
  • Atypical pneumonia
  • Blastomycosis
  • Bronchiectasis
  • Coccidioidomycosis; acute (primary) pulmonary
  • Coccidioidomycosis; chronic pulmonary
  • Coccidioidomycosis; disseminated
  • Cryptococcosis
  • Disseminated tuberculosis (infectious)
  • Histoplasmosis; acute (primary) pulmonary
  • Histoplasmosis; chronic pulmonary
  • Hospital-acquired pneumonia
  • Mycoplasma pneumonia
  • Plague
  • Pulmonary aspergilloma (mycetoma)
  • Pulmonary aspergillosis; invasive type
  • Pulmonary tuberculosis
  • Viral pneumonia

Review Date: 10/15/2009
Reviewed By: Daniel Levy, MD, Infectious Disease, Maryland Family Care, Lutherville, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)