title: Use of cough swabs in a cystic fibrosis clinic.
abstract: We audited prospectively 322 cough swabs taken from cystic fibrosis children and compared cough swabs with concomitant sputum samples in 30 expectorating patients. A positive cough swab is a strong predictor of sputum culture. However, a negative cough swab does not rule out infection. Persistent symptoms should be further investigated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust, Sydney Street, London SW3 6NP, UK.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Equi
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Pike
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bush
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008485:Medical Audit; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology