As @sueinmn writes: “ A sputum culture means they do 2 specific tests on your sputum in your usual lab - to check for the presence of mycobacteria. My lab also tests for staph and strep at the same time. If either NTM or Pseudo is found, the specimen is sent to a specialty lab to be grown in an incubator for up to 8 weeks. This will show exactly what "bug" it is, and then they test to see which antibiotics have an effect on it. “

It really illustrates how the standard of care for patients with Bronchiectasis varies so widely. It is still considered a rare disease though one of the top lung diseases and becoming more prevalent worldwide.

Maybe a memo should go out to pulmonologists who refuse sputum tests. I thought only people like my own doctor who knew nothing of the chronic condition took those decisions.

It is such a relatively easy test for many to achieve and so critical to proper diagnosis for antibiotics, at a time when we really want to target antibiotic use.