Pooling of sputum samples to increase tuberculosis diagnostic capacity in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: We assessed whether combining (pooling) four individual's samples and testing with Xpert Ultra has the same accuracy as testing samples individually as a more efficient testing method.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of individuals with presumptive tuberculosis attending primary health care or general hospital facilities in Alagoas, Brazil. The sputum samples of four consecutive individuals were pooled and the pool and individual samples were tested with Xpert Ultra.