A locally made mucus aspirator.

ABSTRACT

Examination of nasopharyngeal aspirate for the presence of viral antigens in children with acute lower respiratory tract infections is a standard procedure in establishing a viral aetiology. In the absence of other sophisticated methods such as lung puncture or trans-tracheal aspiration, mucopus aspirated from the nasopharynx can be used even to identify caustive organisms. Here, it is essential to perform a microscopic examination in addition to culture. The disposable mucus aspirators used in other countries are expensive and are not practical for routine use in our country. This paper describes how a mucus aspirator was turned out with low cost heat resistant materials that are locally available. The aspirator is steam sterilisable and can be used with a disposable F8 gauge feeding tube. The cost of one aspirator is about Rs. 100.