Abstract
The study of bacterial flora of the lower respiratory tract is very important for the diagnosis of pulmonary infections and proper therapy but it has to face important methodologic problems. The main problem is contamination of the sputum during its passage through the upper airways. The present study suggest an improved procedure aiming first of all at reducing the specimen contamination by upper airway bacteria by means of a preliminary mouth wash, and secondly at comparing qualitative and quantitative cultures of spit with those of sputum. In our study bronchial lavage aspirate (BLA) cultures were used as a control. Both definite (80 patients) and random (20 patients) sequence sampling procedures were considered to show the importance of a correct sequential specimen collection. Bacteria isolated in the sputum and/or in BLA but absent in the spit were considered the most probable responsible for an eventual pulmonary infection. On the contrary a germ found in the spit and eventually in the sputum but not in BLA was considered responsible for only an eventual inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. Doubtful cases were solved by comparing the different bacterial concentrations in the various samples. A preliminary mouth washing procedure decreased the mean concentration of contaminants in the sputum: 3.6 ± 7.5 x 10E8 (E = exponent) versus 3.7 ± 7.2 x 10E7 CFU/ml spit versus sputum (80 patients) p
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 137-146 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Respiration |
| Volume | 56 |
| Issue number | 3-4 |
| Publication status | Published - 1989 |
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Keywords
- Bronchial lavage aspirate
- Chronic obstructive lung disease
- Expectoration sputum
- Fiberoptic bronchoscopy
- Oral sputum
- Quantitative culture
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
Cite this
Proposal of an easy method to improve routine sputum bacteriology. / Spada, E. L.; Tinivella, A.; Carli, S.; Zaccaria, S.; Lusuardi, M.; Sbaffi, A.; Donner, C. F.
In: Respiration, Vol. 56, No. 3-4, 1989, p. 137-146.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Proposal of an easy method to improve routine sputum bacteriology
AU - Spada, E. L.
AU - Tinivella, A.
AU - Carli, S.
AU - Zaccaria, S.
AU - Lusuardi, M.
AU - Sbaffi, A.
AU - Donner, C. F.
PY - 1989
Y1 - 1989
N2 - The study of bacterial flora of the lower respiratory tract is very important for the diagnosis of pulmonary infections and proper therapy but it has to face important methodologic problems. The main problem is contamination of the sputum during its passage through the upper airways. The present study suggest an improved procedure aiming first of all at reducing the specimen contamination by upper airway bacteria by means of a preliminary mouth wash, and secondly at comparing qualitative and quantitative cultures of spit with those of sputum. In our study bronchial lavage aspirate (BLA) cultures were used as a control. Both definite (80 patients) and random (20 patients) sequence sampling procedures were considered to show the importance of a correct sequential specimen collection. Bacteria isolated in the sputum and/or in BLA but absent in the spit were considered the most probable responsible for an eventual pulmonary infection. On the contrary a germ found in the spit and eventually in the sputum but not in BLA was considered responsible for only an eventual inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. Doubtful cases were solved by comparing the different bacterial concentrations in the various samples. A preliminary mouth washing procedure decreased the mean concentration of contaminants in the sputum: 3.6 ± 7.5 x 10E8 (E = exponent) versus 3.7 ± 7.2 x 10E7 CFU/ml spit versus sputum (80 patients) p
AB - The study of bacterial flora of the lower respiratory tract is very important for the diagnosis of pulmonary infections and proper therapy but it has to face important methodologic problems. The main problem is contamination of the sputum during its passage through the upper airways. The present study suggest an improved procedure aiming first of all at reducing the specimen contamination by upper airway bacteria by means of a preliminary mouth wash, and secondly at comparing qualitative and quantitative cultures of spit with those of sputum. In our study bronchial lavage aspirate (BLA) cultures were used as a control. Both definite (80 patients) and random (20 patients) sequence sampling procedures were considered to show the importance of a correct sequential specimen collection. Bacteria isolated in the sputum and/or in BLA but absent in the spit were considered the most probable responsible for an eventual pulmonary infection. On the contrary a germ found in the spit and eventually in the sputum but not in BLA was considered responsible for only an eventual inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. Doubtful cases were solved by comparing the different bacterial concentrations in the various samples. A preliminary mouth washing procedure decreased the mean concentration of contaminants in the sputum: 3.6 ± 7.5 x 10E8 (E = exponent) versus 3.7 ± 7.2 x 10E7 CFU/ml spit versus sputum (80 patients) p
KW - Bronchial lavage aspirate
KW - Chronic obstructive lung disease
KW - Expectoration sputum
KW - Fiberoptic bronchoscopy
KW - Oral sputum
KW - Quantitative culture
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0024934980&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0024934980&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 2635342
AN - SCOPUS:0024934980
VL - 56
SP - 137
EP - 146
JO - Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases
JF - Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases
SN - 0025-7931
IS - 3-4
ER -