Table 3. Timing of specimen collection, receipt and reporting of results of TB patients diagnosed between 1st July and 31st August 2018 at the 13 selected Xpert laboratories and their two linked reference laboratories in Karnataka, India.
| Time durations between various laboratory steps | No. eligible | No. with valid dates | (%) | Median (IQR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specimen collection at DMCa and receipt at Xpert site | 1660 | 1554 | (93.6) | 0 (0–1) |
| Specimen receipt and reporting of results at Xpert site | 1660 | 1066 | (64.2) | 1 (0–2) |
| Specimen receipt at Xpert site and receipt at reference laboratory | 1205 | 1126 | (93.4) | 5 (3–7) |
| Specimen receipt at reference laboratory and FL-LPAb result reporting (for RS-TBc patients) | 1170 | 1116 | (95.4) | 5 (4–6) |
| Specimen receipt at reference laboratory and SL-LPAd result reporting (for RR-TBe patients) | 35 | 32 | (9.1) | 16 (8–30) |
| Specimen receipt at reference laboratory and SL-LPA reporting (for RS-TB patients whose FL-LPA result was resistant) | 54 | 10 | (18.5) | 18 (11–37) |
a Designated microscopy center
b First line–Line probe assay
c Rifampicin sensitive tuberculosis
d Second line–Line probe assay
e Rifampicin resistant tuberculosis