Safety and yield of sputum induction for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in children in a tertiary hospital in Ghana

<b>What the study adds.</b> This study is the first to provide information on the performance and safety of induced sputum (IS) in Ghanaian children. It shows that IS can be performed safely in this population, despite safety concerns that resulted in its late introduction in the country. In addition, it shows that IS procedures can provide quality sputum samples to improve bacteriological confirmation of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in children with presumed tuberculosis. Lastly, it adds to the existing body of literature showing that with requisite training, sputum induction can be performed in low-income settings.<b>Implications of the findings.</b> The study shows that the IS procedure can be used in Ghana to help shift from traditional ways of obtaining sputum samples in children, such as gastric lavage and routine methods of obtaining sputum in older children without induction, to improve bacteriological confirmation when PTB is suspected. The findings indicate that roll-out to other health facilities in Ghana is possible.