Setting: Thailand Tuberculosis (TB) Active Surveillance Network: Bangkok, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Tak and Ubon-Ratchathani, Thailand.
Background: Mycobacteriology laboratories in resource-limited, high TB burden settings are expanding to perform conventional solid media culture and broth-based mycobacteriology culture. Indicators that measure how well a laboratory performs sputum microscopy have been developed and broadly implemented. Routine monitoring of sputum culture performance, however, is not as common.
Design: We implemented indicators for monitoring the quality of laboratory services in five province-level mycobacteriology culture facilities in Thailand. These indicators were derived from literature review, consultation with subject matter experts and our program experience.
Conclusions: We believe that an international consensus document providing monitoring guidelines for mycobacteriology laboratories is urgently needed.