The best way to minimize the amount of upper respiratory flora in a sputum specimen is to follow which of these procedures?
A) Cough up the specimen and when the specimen gets to the laboratory, digest it with enzymes that will kill the normal flora.
B) When plating the specimen, ensure that the swab goes deep into the sample to get only bacteria present in the lower lung.
C) Have the patient rinse the mouth with water and expectorate with the aid of a really deep cough directly into a sterile container.
D) Have a respiratory technician decontaminate a patient's mouth and throat before the specimen is collected.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rinsing the mouth and deep coughing can help minimize upper respiratory flora, as this will help to remove any bacteria from the mouth and throat that might contaminate the sputum sample. Enzymes are not typically used to digest sputum samples, as this can damage the cells and make it difficult to identify pathogens. Plating the sample deeply will not necessarily eliminate upper respiratory flora, as the bacteria may still be present in the sample. Decontaminating the patient's mouth and throat is an option, but it may not always be necessary and can be time-consuming.

The Best Way to Minimize the Amount of Upper Respiratory