External quality control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug susceptibility testing: results of two rounds in endemic countries [Short Communication]
OBJECTIVE: To monitor the quality of drug susceptibility testing (DST) in different countries.
METHODS: In 2002–2003 and 2005–2006, 20 Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains were sent by the WHO/Union Supranational Reference Laboratory of Rome to TB reference laboratories in Albania, Bahrain, Kosovo, Mozambique, Oman, Qatar and Turkey for external quality control (EQC).
RESULTS: In 2002–2003, the specificity, sensitivity, efficiency, reproducibility and predictive values for resistance/susceptibility were ≥90% for streptomycin (SM), isoniazid (INH) and ethambutol (EMB). In 2005–2006, all statistical values were ≥96% for SM, INH, rifampicin and EMB.
CONCLUSION: EQC improved the quality of M. tuberculosis DST in the participating countries.
Keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis; WHO/Union Supranational Reference Laboratories; drug susceptibility testing; external quality control
Document Type: Short Communication
Affiliations: 1: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie e Immunomediate, Rome, Italy 2: San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Emerging Bacterial Pathogens, Milan, Italy 3: Fondazione S. Maugeri, WHO Collaborating Centre for TB and Lung Diseases, Tradate, Italy 4: World Health Organization, Stop TB Department, Geneva, Switzerland 5: University Hospital of Lung Diseases, Tirana, Albania 6: National Reference Laboratory, Manama, Bahrain 7: National Institute of Public Health, Prishtina, Kosovo 8: Laboratorio National de Referencia da TB/Lepra, Maputo, Mozambique 9: Central Public Health Oman, Muscat, Oman 10: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Doha, Qatar 11: National Reference Laboratory, Ankara, Turkey
Publication date: 01 February 2008
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