Use of sputum microbiology for identifying lower respiratory tract microbial colonization in patients with obstructive airway disorders

INTRODUCTION Lower respiratory tract microbial colonization caused by bacterial pathogens in patients with obstructive airway disorders, such as asthma, bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), can lead to worsened clinical outcomes and increased costs associated with the disease to both the healthcare system and patients. Thus, efforts to identify the etiology of the infection are critical to effective treatment. The analysis of expectorated sputum collected from individuals can be diagnostic and allow for noninvasive sampling, causing it to historically be considered the preferred method of diagnosis. However, discourse surrounding the diagnostic utility with current and easier to access techniques including invasive procedures, such as bronchoscopy, have led to changing patterns of assessment, which can also impact costs to the health system.