WHO explores the possibility of expanding its supranational TB reference laboratory network to the Russian Federation
WHO/Kristin Kremer
Within the framework of implementing the Consolidated Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Multidrug- and Extensively Drug-resistant Tuberculosis (M/XDR-TB) and expanding Russian-speaking supranational TB reference laboratories in the Region, two WHO representatives conducted an assessment mission on 27 September–5 October 2012. The aim was to assess the key TB laboratories in the Russian Federation and to explore the possibility of including one of them in the WHO supranational TB reference laboratory network. Dr Kristin Kremer (Scientist, Antimicrobial Resistance and TB Laboratory Network, WHO/Europe) and Dr Alain Disu (Technical Officer, WHO Country Office, Russian Federation) visited the laboratories of four of the five Russian TB research institutes: in St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and Moscow.
During the visit, WHO representatives met with key authorities of these research institutes, including directors, heads of laboratories and laboratory staff members, to discuss topics such as biosafety, quality assurance and TB laboratory procedures.
European TB Laboratory Initiative (ELI)
The visit was part of the WHO initiative to strengthen the TB laboratory network in the European Region. This initiative will also contribute to expanding the current global network of supranational TB laboratories, currently numbering 29 throughout the world. WHO supranational TB laboratories offer technical and training support to TB laboratories in other countries and thus contribute to strengthening the worldwide TB laboratory network. Currently, the future format of the supranational TB reference laboratory network is under discussion and it is foreseen that the future network will consist of both supranational reference laboratories and centres of excellence. These centres of excellence will have a more regional scope and the process of designating such a laboratory in the Russian-speaking part of the European Region will be initiated soon.
Laboratory network in the Russian Federation
In 2010, the Russian Federation reported having 4668 laboratories involved in the laboratory diagnosis of TB, of which 3999 were performing microscopy, 397 culture and 272 drug-susceptibility testing. In total, 54 208 (33%) of TB cases were confirmed by culture and 49 267 (91%) of these had drug-susceptibility test results available.
