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Sputum, the mucus coughed up from the respiratory tract, can provide important clues about a person's condition. Here are some key points to understand sputum characteristics:
Types of Sputum:
1. Watery: Indicates conditions like pulmonary congestion, pulmonary edema, or certain cysts.
2. Mucoid: Sticky sputum with increased mucin, often seen in bronchitis, asthma, and early stages of tuberculosis.
3. Mucopurulent: Mixture of mucus and pus, commonly associated with infections of the bronchi and lungs.
4. Purulent: Indicates respiratory tract infections, with large quantities of pus.
Colour of sputum:
Blackish: This color can occur due to inhalation of carbon particles, commonly seen in coal miners. It can also indicate the breaking down of lung tissue.
Rusty or Khaki: Sputum with a rusty or khaki color typically suggests the presence of blood mixed with mucus. It is often seen in lobar pneumonia, where the infection causes bleeding in the lungs.
Small yellow sulphur granules: In cases of actinomycosis of the lungs, sputum may contain small yellow granules resembling sulfur.
Reddish color: The presence of fresh or altered blood in the sputum can give it a reddish hue. The color intensity depends on the time interval between coughing up blood (hemoptysis) and producing the sputum.
Frothy pink: Pink, frothy sputum is often associated with pulmonary edema, a condition characterized by fluid accumulation in the lungs.
Creamy yellow: Sputum with a creamy yellow color may indicate a Staphylococcus infection.
Sticky brown-to-red: This coloration, often described as "currant jelly," can occur in cases of Klebsiella (Friedlander's) infection, where the sputum contains blood-tinged lung debris.
Dark brown: Dark brown, purulent sputum resembling anchovy sauce can be observed in amoebic lung abscess and Paragonimus (lung fluke) infection.
Green: Pseudomonas infection can cause sputum to have a green color and a musty odor. Stagnant purulent sputum can also appear greenish due to the action of enzymes released by neutrophils.
Other Abnormalities:
- Discrete discs or nummular sputum: Suggests cavitation.
- Dittrich's plugs: Foul-smelling caseous masses in bronchiectasis.
- Curschmann's spirals: Coalescence of granules from eosinophils, found in asthmatic sputum.
- Fibrinous casts: Greyish, white, or reddish-yellow particles from smaller bronchi, seen in fibrinous bronchitis.
- Asbestos bodies: Indicate exposure to asbestos dust.
- Hooklets: Associated with hydatid disease when a cyst ruptures into the bronchus.
Odor:
- Foul odor: Indicates infection with specific bacteria or anaerobes, seen in conditions like lung abscess or bronchiectasis.
Microscopic Examination:
- Microscopic analysis can reveal fibrinous casts, bronchial spirals, elastic tissue, eosinophils, parasites, fungi, bacteria, malignant cells, and foreign bodies.
Culture and Antibiotic Sensitivity Tests:
- Culturing sputum
2. Definition
• Sputum, the mucus coughed up from the respiratory tract, can
provide important clues about a person's condition. Here are some
key points to understand sputum characteristics:
9. Colour of sputum
• Blackish: Inhalation of carbon particles, often seen in coal
miners or when there is lung tissue breakdown.
• Rusty or Khaki: Blood mixed with mucus, commonly seen in
lobar pneumonia.
• Small yellow sulphur granules: Actinomycosis of the lungs.
• Reddish: Presence of fresh or altered blood, indicating possible
bleeding in the lungs.
10. Colour of sputum con…
• Frothy pink: Pulmonary edema, characterized by fluid
accumulation in the lungs.
• Creamy yellow: Staphylococcus infection.
• Sticky brown-to-red or "currant jelly": Klebsiella (Friedlander's)
infection, with blood-tinged lung debris.
• Dark brown: Amoebic lung abscess or Paragonimus (lung fluke)
infection.
• Green: Pseudomonas infection or stagnant purulent sputum.
11. Other Abnormalities:-
• Discrete discs or nummular sputum: Suggests cavitation.-
• Dittrich's plugs: Foul-smelling caseous masses in bronchiectasis.
• - Curschmann's spirals: Coalescence of granules from eosinophils,
found in asthmatic sputum.
• Fibrinous casts: Greyish, white, or reddish-yellow particles from
smaller bronchi, seen in fibrinous bronchitis.-
• Asbestos bodies: Indicate exposure to asbestos dust.
• Hooklets: Associated with hydatid disease when a cyst ruptures into
the bronchus.
12. Odor:-
• Foul odor: Indicates infection with specific bacteria or anaerobes,
seen in conditions like lung abscess or bronchiectasis
14. Culture and Antibiotic Sensitivity Tests:-
• Culturing sputum helps identify the specific microorganisms causing
infections, such as pneumonia or tuberculosis. Antibiotic sensitivity
tests determine the appropriate treatment.
