Ronchetti K, et al. - Researchers performed a prospective internally controlled interventional trial to assess the pathogen yield from sputum induction compared with that from cough swab and single-lobe, two-lobe, and six-lobe bronchoalveolar lavage. For pathogen detection, sputum induction was identified as superior to cough swab. In addition, it was effective at sampling the lower airway, and was a credible surrogate for bronchoalveolar lavage in symptomatic children. If sputum induction is done first and pathogens are appropriately treated, a substantial number of bronchoscopies could be avoided. Compared with the current gold-standard two-lobe bronchoalveolar lavage, both sputum induction and six-lobe bronchoalveolar lavage provided independent, sizeable gains in pathogen detection. Using sputum induction and six-lobe bronchoalveolar lavage in combination is proposed by researchers as standard of care for comprehensive lower airway pathogen detection in children with cystic fibrosis.