Cumitech 7B is a revised presentation of clinical aspects of diseases associated with the lower respiratory tract, specimen collection, specimen processing, and the interpretation of bacterial cultures.  The most common organisms associated with infections of the lower respiratory tract are covered, as are methods for implementing change in the laboratory, guidelines for frequency of testing, and public health issues.  This Cumitech includes tables detailing specimen collection and transport, specimens commonly obtained, criteria for assessing specimen quality, and CPT coding guidance for diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infections.