title: Strengthening tuberculosis diagnosis in a low-resource setting: experience learned in Dodoma, Tanzania.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diagnosing tuberculosis in low-resource settings mostly relies on sputum smear microscopy. Improvement through capacity building is a priority. This project aimed to strengthen tuberculosis diagnosis at an intermediate level laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Italian National Institute for Infectious Diseases and the Italian Development Cooperation closely collaborated with regional and national institutions and reference laboratories to provide laboratory setup, equipment and reagents, personnel training, and the implementation of culture and quality assessment programs at Dodoma Regional Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Microscopy sensitivity was increased, personnel were trained, and culture techniques and quality assessment programs were introduced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implementing tuberculosis diagnosis in resource-constrained settings is feasible and represents a basis for further strengthening.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Infectious Diseases (INMI) "L. Spallanzani", Rome, Italy. angela.cannas@inmi.it.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cannas
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Paglia
authors.forename: Dominick Calistus
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Sakhoo
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vairo
authors.forename: Basra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Doulla
authors.forename: Boniface
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nguhuni
authors.forename: Zainab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chaula
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mlumba
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mirrione
authors.forename: Nazario
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bevilacqua
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nicastri
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Nardo
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meschi
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Girardi
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Racalbuto
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ippolito
mesh_terms: D064790:Clinical Laboratory Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D003906:Developing Countries; D006801:Humans; D013636:Tanzania; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*