What does squamous epithelial cells in sputum mean?

What does squamous epithelial cells in sputum mean?

Why the initial sputum sample was rejected. Squamous epithelial cells line the mouth. If greater than 10 of these cells are present per high powered field (100x; hpf) then the lab suspects serious contamination of the sputum with saliva.

What is normal sputum?

Clear sputum: Clear sputum is usually normal, although it may be increased in some lung diseases. White or gray sputum: White or grayish tinged sputum can also be normal, but may be present in increased amounts with some lung diseases or precede other color changes associated with other conditions.

What is a normal sputum culture?

Normal: Sputum that has passed through the mouth normally contains several types of harmless bacteria. These include some types of strep (Streptococcus) and staph (Staphylococcus). The culture should not show any harmful bacteria or fungi. Normal culture results are negative.

What is an adequate sputum sample?

Deep coughing is generally required, and the patient should be informed that it is phlegm/mucus from the lungs that is necessary, not saliva. an adequate sputum sample means that it is considered representative of conditions in the lower respiratory tract i.e. not heavily contaminated with saliva.

What does epithelial cells in urine mean?

An epithelial cells in urine test looks at urine under a microscope to see if the number of your epithelial cells is in the normal range. It’s normal to have a small amount of epithelial cells in your urine. A large amount may indicate an infection, kidney disease, or other serious medical condition.

What color sputum indicates infection?

As a general rule, sputum is dark green in the early stages of an infection and gradually lightens as the infection improves. It is the presence of an enzyme called myeloperoxidase that gives the sputum its green color, during an infection. Some infections may cause sputum to be yellow, gray, or rusty colored.

What happens if sputum test is positive?

A sample of sputum is added to a substance that promotes the growth of bacteria. If no bacteria grow, the culture is negative. If bacteria grow, the culture is positive. If TB bacteria grow, then the person has tuberculosis.

What can a sputum test show?

A sputum test can diagnose:

• Bronchitis.
• Lung abscess.
• Pneumonia.
• Tuberculosis.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Cystic fibrosis.

  What does a sputum test look for?

  A sputum culture is a test that checks for bacteria or another type of organism that may be causing an infection in your lungs or the airways leading to the lungs. Sputum, also known as phlegm, is a thick type of mucus made in your lungs.

  What will a sputum test show?

  A bacterial sputum culture is used to detect and diagnose bacterial lower respiratory tract infections such as bacterial pneumonia or bronchitis. It is typically performed with a Gram stain to identify the bacteria causing a person’s infection.

  What can cause abnormal epithelial cells?

  It means it looks like your cells could be abnormal. This could be because of an infection, such as a yeast infection or the herpes virus. Hormone changes from pregnancy or menopause can also affect test results.