Tuberculosis Supranational Reference Laboratories: A Global Approach

Christopher Gilpin; Fuad Mirzayev

doi:10.1016/j.ccm.2019.07.005

Tuberculosis Supranational Reference Laboratories: A Global Approach

Clin Chest Med. 2019 Dec;40(4):755-762. doi: 10.1016/j.ccm.2019.07.005.

Authors

Christopher Gilpin¹, Fuad Mirzayev²

Affiliations

¹ Global TB Programme, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland.
² Global TB Programme, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland. Electronic address: mirzayevf@who.int.

PMID: 31731982
DOI: 10.1016/j.ccm.2019.07.005

Abstract

The World Health Organization Supranational TB Reference Laboratory Network (SRLN) has served as the backbone for TB drug-resistance surveillance and diagnosis since 1994 and remains a key WHO programme for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance at the global level. SRLN is a great technical resource for proficiency testing to ensure accuracy of drug-susceptibility testing, scale-up, capacity development in countries and provides unique support to the reliable detection of drug resistance. Technical assistance from individual SRLs has been supported by a variety of mechanisms but funding for the SRLN has become increasingly challenging.

Keywords: Drug susceptibility testing; Quality assurance; Tuberculosis; WHO TB supranational reference laboratory.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Laboratories / standards*
Quality Assurance, Health Care / standards*
Tuberculosis / diagnosis*
World Health Organization / organization & administration*

Grants and funding

001/WHO_/World Health Organization/International