Instructions for taking sputum to test for TB bacteria

Article by Dr. Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang- Doctor of Microbiology - Laboratory Department - Vinmec Times City International Hospital

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis can occur in all parts of the body, in which pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common form (accounting for 80-85% of total cases) and is the main source of transmission to people around. Sputum testing is the best way to detect pulmonary tuberculosis. If you are being treated for tuberculosis, a sputum test is also the best way to demonstrate the effectiveness of the drug. However, in order to obtain quality sputum, which helps in making a more accurate diagnosis, the following guidelines should be followed.
Place to collect sputum: Choose a well-ventilated place to collect sputum samples. If you can't get out of bed, open a window and keep the room cool. There are no people near the sampling area, especially children, the elderly or people with chronic diseases, weakened because it is easy to cause infection. Number of samples and time of collection: Take 2 consecutive sputum samples: sample 1 is taken immediately after medical examination, sample 2 is taken at least 2 hours after sample 1. It is best to take sputum in the early morning, when not eating or drinking. Patients brush their teeth, rinse their mouth with clean water, do not use mouthwash. Sputum collection technique:
Inhale deeply, exhale forcefully (2 times) Take a deep breath, take a deep breath for the 3rd time, cough deeply from the lungs Put the cup of sputum (opened) close to the mouth, spit the sputum into the bottom the cup. Tighten the lid. Send the sputum sample and test sheet to the laboratory, fill in all information: full name, age, gender, time of sampling, time of sampling. Standard sputum specimen:
Sputum taken from lung injury, not from nose or mouth, not mixed with saliva If the amount of sputum is too small (<2ml) and no mucus, pus, repeat the above steps to get quality sputum samples.

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