Value of sputum Gram stain, sputum culture, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid Gram stain in predicting single bacterial pathogen among children with community-acquired pneumonia.

Both sputum culture and BGS are helpful in predicting single bacterial pathogen from BALF culture among children with community-acquired pneumonia. Sputum cultures and BGS can provide early clues for BALF pathogen when BALF culture results are pending or bronchoscopy is not performed.