Mycobacteriology Laboratory

• Gene Xpert for TB and SARS-CoV-2
• TB culture; -Solid, LJ, 7H10 & 7H11
• Liquid MGIT
• TB Identification; MPT64 & Gene Xpert
• TB Microscopy; ZN & FM
• Quantification Cultures
• TB-Drug Susceptibility Testing
• Urine LAM
• Mycobacteria culture and Sensitivity

A College of American Pathologists (CAP) – accredited Biosafety Level (BSL)-3 culture facility for tuberculosis culturing laboratory. A site for multinational tuberculosis research initiatives namely: The Division of AIDS Clinical Trials regional TB diagnostic laboratory (DAIDS/ACTG/RTBDL) and the International Maternal, Paediatric, Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) Network, and the Global Alliance for TB drug development studies. This facility has vast experience in clinical trials including those for novel tuberculosis drugs for treating FEND TB, END TB, TB LAMB, MDR-TB for example, the laboratory participated in the BPaMZ regimen for MDR-TB treatment. Other clinical trials include those for both susceptible and resistant TB with study numbers in public databases [NCT02410772 (TBTC study 31, S31/A5349), NCT02193776_NC-005-J-M-Pa-Z/, NCT01380080 (REMEMBER, ACTG 5274), IMPAACT P1078 (DAIDS ID 10732), ISRCTN63579542, NCT02342886 _NC-006 M-Pa-Z among others. It has participated in several diagnostic inculding COVID 19 and evaluation studies some of which have made it to WHO policies1-6 most recently being the multi- country Xpert ULTRA evaluation study. The facility also supports basic and translational research on tuberculosis e.g. electroporation (transformation/transfection), etc. Furthermore, the Mycobacteriology Laboratory has a long working relationship with the Uganda’s National TB reference laboratory, currently a World Health Organization Supra-National Reference Laboratory (WHO-SRL). It has a BSL-3 containment section, two offices, a reception area, a well-monitored store and training rooms. It is 90 square meters, monitored with a 24-hour surveillance system. It has a dedicated manager with 10 years TB-related experience, and 10 additional BSc and MSc level technologists, a quality assurance officer, and a training coordinator. There are two Bactec-MGIT-960 machines, one Bactec-9120 machine, three Bactec-9050 blood culture systems, two 6-foot class II & one 4-foot class II biosafety cabinets, two autoclaves, two hot air ovens, two -800c freezers and refrigerators, two CO2 incubators, an automated DNA extraction machine, four GeneXpert machines, etc.