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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Suggest Frequency Of Sputum Tests

May a sputum test be still valuable after cough has abated? Where patient has been taking prednisone 3O Corticosteroid ) 1 tablet each day for a week, will a sputum test still be worthwhile after ? If yes, how many days should sputum test be after last taking? Thanks.
Teresita D. Flores
Mon, 9 Nov 2015
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Infectious Diseases Specialist 's  Response
You have not mentioned if the sputum test was done for tuberculosis, in which case, you can still do a sputum test and check for acid fast bacilli.

In case of a routine bacterial culture, it cannot be told for sure that the culture will definitely yield the pathogen. You might want to give the sputum sample after the course of prednisolone has ended, preferably.
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Suggest Frequency Of Sputum Tests

You have not mentioned if the sputum test was done for tuberculosis, in which case, you can still do a sputum test and check for acid fast bacilli. In case of a routine bacterial culture, it cannot be told for sure that the culture will definitely yield the pathogen. You might want to give the sputum sample after the course of prednisolone has ended, preferably.