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Updated: Mar 19, 2026

Methodology for Sputum Induction and Laboratory Processing
Published on: December 17, 2017
Sputum Induction in Children Is Feasible and Useful in a Bustling General Hospital Practice
Ingeborg Y Bart1, Mariëlle Mourits1, René van Gent2
1Jeroen Bosch Hospital, 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Abstract:
We prospectively studied the feasibility and effectiveness of sputum induction in obtaining good quality sputum and its subsequent bacterial yield in children with clinically suspected acute lower-respiratory-tract infection (aLRTI). Good quality sputum was collected in 89/98 (91%) patients. Sputum cultures revealed ≥1 bacterial pathogens in 22 cases (25%). Adverse events were infrequent and mild (6%). Sputum induction is feasible in young children and leads to an increased number of etiological diagnoses of aLRTI.
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