[Storage and transport of isolated M. tuberculosis at public and private health institutions in Japan].
OBJECTIVE
To obtain basic data about the present practices on storage and transport of isolated M. tuberculosis at public and private health institutions in Japan.


METHODS
Survey forms regarding the practices on storage and transport of isolated M. tuberculosis were distributed and collected by post-mail in January 2007 to 76 local public health institutions, 145 public health centres, and 150 public or private hospitals. The questionnaire was adopted from the guidelines proposed by the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare in 2006 on storage and transport of isolated M. tuberculosis.


RESULTS
The respondents of the survey were as follows: 96.1% (73/76) from local public health institutions, 93.8% (136/145) from public health centres, and 73.3% (110/150) from hospitals. In general, local public health institutions conformed well to the proposed standards, however public health centres and hospitals were not compliant to some standards.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the survey conducted on the practice of storage and transport of isolated M. tuberculosis, certain discrepancy was found among public health centres and hospitals.
Ohkado
Akihiro
A
Department of Research, Research Institute of Tuberculosis, JATA, 3-1-24, Matsuyama, Kiyose-shi, Tokyo 204-8533, Japan. ohkadoa@jata.or.jp
Takahashi
Chieko
C
Horiba
Masahide
M
Murase
Yoshiro
Y
Mitarai
Satoshi
S
D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D006268:Health Facilities; D007564:Japan; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires