Which statement about sputum cultures is true?

• A. Sputum collection is within the medical assistant's scope of practice.
• B. Sputum must be saliva
• C. Sputum samples are used for cytology and AFB testing.
• D. Sputum results are only for pneumonia

Answer: (C)

Sputum samples can provide information beyond infections like pneumonia; they’re used for cytology and AFB testing. Cytology examines cells shed from the respiratory tract to look for signs of lung cancer, while AFB testing uses special stains or culture methods to detect acid-fast bacilli such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This dual use makes the statement true because it highlights two common, clinically important analyses that can be performed on sputum. It’s not just saliva, and proper collection aims to obtain true lower-respiratory mucus rather than oral secretions; contamination with saliva can affect results. While many settings allow trained medical assistants to collect sputum under supervision, practice scope varies by location. Sputum testing also supports diagnosis beyond pneumonia, including cancer screening and TB detection.