title: The feasibility of sputum transportation system in China: effect of sputum storage on the mycobacterial detection.
abstract: Sputum transportation from county-level to prefecture-level is an ideal strategy to cover the shortage of the laboratory capability in the resource-poor setting. Here, we firstly evaluated the feasibility of sputum transportation system in China by analyzing the culture and molecular diagnosis results from 1982 smear-positive patients with different delay in processing for culture. In this study, the total contamination rate was 2.32% and the total smear positive/culture negative (S+/C-) rate was 7.57%. We found that sputum specimens refrigerated for no more than 7 d before mycobacterial detection did not affect culture significantly. In addition, the invalid result rates among 0-3 d, 3-7 d, and 7+ d group were 3.63%, 3.14%, and 12.48%, respectively. Statistic analysis revealed that molecular diagnostic results while the invalid result rate of genechip for the specimen with more than 7 d delay was significantly higher (P<0.001). The refrigerators equipped in county laboratories, transport at low temperature and frequent transport services once a week will ensure the feasibility of sputum transportation system in China.
authors.affiliation: National Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 101149, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: China Office, Program for Appropriate Technology in Health, Beijing 100600, China.
authors.forename: Zhi Ying
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: National Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.
authors.forename: Xi Chao
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.affiliation: National Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: National Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: National Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: National Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.
authors.forename: Yan Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014186:Transportation