Select the best response to the question. You are reviewing a patient's sputum culture results that have tested positive for S taphylococcus epidermidis . How do you interpret these findings?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

S. epidermidis is a common member of the normal flora of the skin and mucous membranes, including the respiratory tract. Its presence in sputum culture results does not necessarily indicate a respiratory infection. Rather, it likely means that the sputum sample was not collected in a sterile manner and picked up some of the normal flora present in the upper respiratory tract.

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