African Journal of Laboratory Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Impact of potassium test sample rejections on routine laboratory service, South Africa","authors":"Sarah McAlpine, B. Chale-Matsau","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2239","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2239","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Accurate potassium measurements are necessary for effective clinical management of hyperkalaemia. Pre-analytical factors may affect laboratory measurements, leading to erroneous results and inappropriate patient management and negatively impact the efficiency and finances of laboratories and hospitals.Objective: This study evaluated the impact of rejected potassium test requests on laboratory service.Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study to assess potassium test data at a public laboratory in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa, using samples collected from an academic hospital, peripheral hospitals, and outpatient clinics between January 2018 to December 2018. We assessed the relationship between reasons for rejection and health facility type, as well as financial implications for the laboratory.Results: The potassium result rejection rate was 15.1% (29 806 samples), out of the 197 405 requests received. The most common reasons for rejection were old sample ( 1 day old) (41.4%; 12 348 rejections) and haemolysis (38.2%; 11 398 rejections). The most frequent reason for rejections at the central, academic hospital was haemolysis (42.0%), while old sample was the most common reason for rejection at peripheral hospitals (43.4%; 4119/9493 requests) and outpatient health facilities (57.2%; 7208/12 605 requests) (p = 0.022). The total cost of potassium sample rejection over the study period was substantial, given the resource constraints in this setting.Conclusion: Peripheral hospitals and outpatient departments accounted for the majority of rejected potassium testing results, possibly resulting from delays in transportation; causing substantial financial impact on the laboratory. Improved sample collection, handling, and expedited transportation are recommended.What this study adds: This study highlights the importance of appropriate sample collection and handling and the undesirable consequences of non-adherence to these pre-analytical considerations.","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"8 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138947787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Critical values notification: A nationwide survey of practices among clinical laboratories across Nigeria.","authors":"Lucius C Imoh, Idris Y Mohammed, Ifeyinwa D Nnakenyi, Ephraim U Egbuagha, Tomisin M Adaja, Chinelo P Onyenekwu","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2249","DOIUrl":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2249","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Critical value notification (CVN) entails notifying doctors or other laboratory users of aberrant laboratory results that threaten the patient's life and of any values for which reporting delays could negatively impact the patient's health. Critical value notification practices in clinical laboratories in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa are largely unknown.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>We conducted a nationwide survey to obtain baseline information on CVN practice by Nigeria's laboratories.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional study was conducted among purposively selected secondary- and tertiary-tier, public and private clinical laboratories across northern and southern Nigeria between October 2015 and December 2015. Consenting senior laboratory staff completed and returned a structured questionnaire, that gathered data on respondents' demographics, designations, and institutional characteristics and practices regarding CVN.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>One hundred and thirty-four laboratories responded to the questionnaires. Only 69 (51.5 %) laboratories practised CVN; only 23 (33.3%) had existing written policies guiding the practice. Most (43; 62.3%) laboratories use similar critical values (CVs) for adult and paediatric populations. Most laboratories (27; 39.1%) obtained their CVs by combining published literature and local opinions from stakeholders. Physical dispatch (42; 60.9%) followed by telephone calls (38; 55.1%) were the most common means of notification. Private laboratories, compared with public hospital laboratories, were likelier to have separate paediatric CV lists (<i>p</i> = 0.019) and practise telephone notifications (<i>p</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Critical value notification practices vary and are often suboptimal in many clinical laboratories in Nigeria, which is exacerbated by the absence of guiding policies and national recommendations for post-analytical procedures.</p><p><strong>What this study adds: </strong>This study provides baseline information on CVN practice by Nigeria's laboratories. The study explores the causes of practice variations that can serve as a foundation for enhancing critical reporting and post-analytical services, particularly in clinical laboratories in sub-Saharan Africa.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"2249"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10729493/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138811827","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bridging the gaps in newborn screening programmes: Challenges and opportunities to detect haemoglobinopathies in Africa.","authors":"Seth Twum, Kwadwo Fosu, Robin A Felder, Kwabena A N Sarpong","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2225","DOIUrl":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2225","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Haemoglobinopathies, including sickle cell disease and β-thalassaemia, are monogenic disorders with a relatively higher prevalence among malaria-endemic areas in Africa. Despite this prevalence, most African countries lack the necessary resources for diagnosing and managing these debilitating conditions.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study provides a critical review of newborn screening for detecting haemoglobinopathies in Africa, highlighting challenges and proposing strategies for improved diagnosis and management.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A literature search on haemoglobinopathies in Africa was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar and ScienceDirect, using specific keywords and Boolean operators, including articles published from January 1981 to December 2022.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The data show that sickle cell disease is prevalent among populations in Central and West Africa; however, β-thalassaemia is prevalent among people in the northern parts of Africa. Newborn screening pilot initiatives for haemoglobinopathies were being implemented in Angola, Nigeria, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Benin. The cost of testing, lack of sufficient and accessible medical records, and inadequacy in healthcare infrastructure pose significant challenges in bridging the gaps in newborn screening. Furthermore, the stigmatisation and lack of awareness of haemoglobinopathies and access to newborn screening programmes pose additional challenges.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This review highlights the challenges associated with haemoglobinopathy testing, effective strategies for mitigating these challenges, and future perspectives for expanding efforts toward detecting and managing these disorders across Africa. Providing affordable diagnostic tools, mobile clinics, government subsidies, education campaigns, and the implementation of electronic medical records systems could help bridge the gaps in newborn screening in Africa.</p><p><strong>What this study adds: </strong>The study presents a comprehensive view of newborn screening of haemoglobinopathies in Africa, provides a detailed outline of the challenges faced by newborn screening for haemoglobinopathies in Africa, and offers strategies for better diagnosis and care.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"2225"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10729498/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138811826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of novel software on laboratory expenditure at an academic hospital in South Africa.","authors":"Zoliswa Mayekiso, Kelechi E Oladimeji, Guillermo A Pulido Estrada, Charles Hongoro, Teke R Apalata","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2159","DOIUrl":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2159","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Countries across the globe report an increase in expenditure associated with medical laboratory testing. In 2020, the United States Department of Health and Human Services reported that laboratory test expenditures increased by $459 million US dollars (USD) from $7.1 billion USD in 2018. In South Africa, laboratory testing expenditure in the public sector increased from $415 million USD in 2014 to $723 million USD in 2021.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an innovative software, electronic gatekeeping (EGK), on medical laboratory test expenditures at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this cross-sectional study, an interrupted time series analysis technique was used to evaluate trends in expenditure during a 48-month study period. To measure the impact of EGK on laboratory expenditure, we analysed laboratory expenditure over two study periods: a period of 24 months occurring before EGK implementation (01 June 2013 to 31 May 2015) and a period of 24 months occurring during EGK implementation (01 June 2015 to 30 May 2017).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There was a significant reduction (211 928 fewer tests) in the number of tests performed during the intervention (434 790) compared to before the intervention (646 718). Laboratory test expenditure was $1 663 756.72 USD before the intervention period and $1 105 036.88 USD during the intervention period, demonstrating a cost savings of $558 719.84 USD.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Electronic gatekeeping is a cost-effective intervention for managing medical laboratory expenditures. We recommend that the health sector scale up this intervention nationally.</p><p><strong>What this study adds: </strong>Using an interrupted time series interval, the authors determined that EGK is a cost-effective intervention for managing medical laboratory expenditures at a tertiary hospital. This study's findings can promote and contribute to improved laboratory systems and test investigations.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"2159"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10696537/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138499739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Taking the train of digital health and artificial intelligence to improve medical laboratory service in Africa: Key considerations.","authors":"Rajiv Erasmus, Pascale Ondoa","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2329","DOIUrl":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2329","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"2329"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10696532/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138499742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Serum-free light chain test utilisation at a South African academic laboratory and comparison with serum protein electrophoresis results.","authors":"Razia B Banderker, Fatima B Fazel, Annalise E Zemlin, Aye-Aye Khine, Thumeka P Jalavu","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2201","DOIUrl":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2201","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE), urine protein electrophoresis and immunofixation electrophoresis were traditionally utilised for the diagnosis of monoclonal gammopathies. The quantitative serum-free light chain (SFLC) assay is reportedly more sensitive and has been introduced to recent clinical guidelines.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to investigate SFLC test utilisation and describe SPE findings in patients with abnormal SFLC ratios.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective audit of SFLC analyses was conducted in Cape Town, South Africa, from May 2018 to April 2020. Agreement between abnormal SFLC ratios and SPE results was determined in a sub-group of patients screened for monoclonal gammopathies. Serum-free light chains were analysed using Freelite^® Kappa and Lambda assays.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 1425 patients included in the audit, 741 (52%) had abnormal SFLC ratios; 636 (45%) had increased and 105 (7%) had decreased SFLC ratios. In a sub-group analysis of 117 new patients with an abnormal SFLC ratio, 57 had a monoclonal protein (M-protein) on SPE (49%), and 60 (51%) did not. Four out of 60 patients without M-protein had a plasma cell dyscrasia, while renal impairment or inflammatory response accounted for the rest. Of the 57 patients with a M-protein and abnormal SFLC ratio, 41 (72%) had a plasma cell dyscrasia, seven (12%) had lymphomas and nine patients (16%) were unclassifiable.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Serum-free light chains should be requested when there is a high index of clinical suspicion. Neither SFLC nor SPE should be performed in isolation when screening patients for monoclonal gammopathy, to ensure that no patient is missed.</p><p><strong>What this study adds: </strong>The study adds to the evidence on SFLC test utilisation. Serum protein electrophoresis alone may miss cases of light chain myeloma, while SFLC performed in isolation may produce false positive results in the setting of inflammatory disorders or renal impairment, leading to unnecessary further investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"2201"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10696567/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138499741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Time to treat the climate and nature crisis as one indivisible global health emergency.","authors":"Kamran Abbasi, Parveen Ali, Virginia Barbour, Thomas Benfield, Kirsten Bibbins, Stephen Hancocks, Richard Horton, Laurie Laybourn-Langton, Robert Mash, Peush Sahni, Wadeia M Sharief, Paul Yonga, Chris Zielinski","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2335","DOIUrl":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2335","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"2335"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10696533/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138499743","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Role of CTX-M-15 gene in spread of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases among immunocompetent patients in Ghana.","authors":"Noah Obeng-Nkrumah, Gloria D Tawiah-Abrokwa, Enid Owusu, Francisca Duah, Daniel Oduro-Mensah, Paul Kwao, Bako Evariste, Appiah-Korang Labi","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2135","DOIUrl":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2135","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Patients with faecal carriage of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales serve as reservoirs and sources of dissemination and infection.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This report examined immunocompetent patients for faecal carriage of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales in a district care hospital setting in Ghana.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Between March 2019 and May 2020, cross-sectional sampling was performed to enrol patients and conduct questionnaire-structured interviews for factors that predispose patients to ESBL faecal carriage. Faecal samples from study patients were quantified for ESBL-producing Enterobacterales. The ESBL genes were characterised by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The overall proportion of ESBL faecal carriage was 35.5% (<i>n</i> = 38/107). The <i>bla</i>_CTX-M gene, mostly CTX-M-15, was detected in 89.5% (<i>n</i> = 34/38) of the ESBL-producing isolates. The other ESBL types included <i>bla</i>_SHV (<i>n</i> = 3) and <i>bla</i>_OXA (<i>n</i> = 1). The CTX-M-15-positive isolates, when present in a faecal sample compared to the non-ESBL-CTX-M-15 isolates, constituted the predominant faecal Enterobacterales, with significantly higher colony counts than all other enterobacteria in that sample. In multivariate regression, independent risk factors for faecal carriage of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales were hospitalisation in the past year, infections since admission, use of antibiotics in the past 6 weeks, and admission from another hospital.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study found that CTX-M-15-producing isolates were the predominant faecal Enterobacterales, and that further investigations are needed to determine the reasons behind this dominance.</p><p><strong>What this study adds: </strong>The CTX-M-15-producing isolates dominance in this study shows the misuse and abuse of antibiotics in an African medical facility and indicates the potential role of immunity in controlling ESBL spread, which is to be investigated further.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"2135"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10696557/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138499740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemic forecast and preparedness for explosive-cerebrospinal meningitis outbreak in Nigeria using the preventive vaccination strategy.","authors":"Iseimokumo C Peletiri, Rosemary C Nwachukwu, Diweni C Peletiri, Esther Q Onoja, Charity T Tulagha, Ikaprite I Igbalibo, Grace M Ayanbimpe, Eugene I Ikeh","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2086","DOIUrl":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2086","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Within the African meningitis belt, yearly outbreaks of cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM), with incidence rates of 10-100 cases per 100 000 population, are typically punctuated by explosive epidemics occurring every 8-12 years, with incidence rates that can exceed 1000 cases per 100 000 population. From 1928 to 2018, Nigeria recorded the highest number (21%) of cases in the region. The reactive vaccination strategy, a protocol with major drawbacks, has been the vaccination method utilised in Nigeria.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This review highlights the need for governments within the African meningitis belt to start preparations against the next explosive CSM epidemic expected to occur between 2024 and 2028 using the preventive vaccination strategy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed a literature search on the Google Scholar search engine using relevant search strings and included studies and reports between 1905 and 2022 that met set criteria.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong><i>Neisseria meningitidis</i> serogroups A, B, C, W135, X, and Y; <i>Haemophilus influenzae</i> serotypes a, b, c, e, and f; and <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> serotypes 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 19, 19F, and 20 were implicated as aetiologies. However, the reactive vaccination strategy was only used against <i>N. meningitidis</i> A or C, <i>H. influenzae</i> b, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Between 2011 and 2017, a polysaccharide vaccine (ACW or ACYW) active against serogroups A, C, W and Y was used within the African meningitis belt for the first time. Varying genotypes of <i>N. meningitidis, H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae</i> were identified.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results revealed a very high success rate for the preventive vaccination strategy.</p><p><strong>What this study adds: </strong>In order to ensure reductions in the morbidity and mortality associated with invasive CSM, the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria, should leverage existing knowledge of the circulating serogroups, serotypes, and genotypes of the primary bacterial aetiologies and commence the implementation of the preventive vaccination strategy.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"2086"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10696563/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138499738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Storage of Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture isolates in MicrobankTM beads at a South African laboratory","authors":"Anura David, Lesley E. Scott, Pedro Da Silva, Elizabeth Mayne, Wendy S. Stevens","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2172","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.2172","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) isolates are typically stored at −70 °C in cryovials containing 1 mL aliquots of a liquid medium, with or without 50% glycerol. Multiple uses of the culture stock may decrease the strain viability while increasing the risk of culture contamination. Small culture aliquots may be more practical; however, storage capacity remains challenging. MicrobankTM beads (25 beads/vial) for the long-term storage of fungal cultures is well documented, but their use for storing MTBC isolates is uninvestigated.Objective: The study aimed to determine the feasibility of using MicrobankTM beads for long-term storage of MTBC isolates at a laboratory in South Africa.Methods: In February 2020, 20 isolates in liquid culture were stored in MicrobankTM beads, following an in-house developed protocol, at −70 °C. At defined time points (16 months [15 June 2021] and 21 months [18 November 2021]), two beads were retrieved from each storage vial and assessed for viability and level of contamination.Results: Stored liquid isolates demonstrated MTBC growth within an average time-to-detection of 18 days following retrieval, even at 21 months post storage. Contaminating organisms were detected in 2 of 80 (2.5%) culture isolates.Conclusion: MicrobankTM beads will allow for the reculture of up to 25 culture isolates using a reduced culture volume compared to current storage methods. MicrobankTM beads represent a storage solution for the medium-term storage of MTBC isolates.What this study adds: This study evaluated the use of MicrobankTM beads as an alternate method for storing MTBC culture isolates at −70 °C and provided a suitable option for medium-term storage of MTBC.","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"37 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135219264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}