Search

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently revised its guidelines for rapid diagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). This study aimed to investigate if TB reference diagnostic services are prepared to support these revisions. An online survey was performed among 44 TB National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) in the WHO European Region. Questions addressed the use of WHO-recommended molecular techniques for the diagnosis of drug-resistant TB, the techniques applied to investigate antimicrobial resistance, and questions on quality assurance. Among 35 of 44 (80%) participating NRLs, 29 of 35 (83%) reported using the GeneXpert platform as the initial test to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosiscomplex and rifampicin resistance. Five laboratories reported using another WHO-recommended, moderate-complexity, automated nucleic acid amplification test for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosiscomplex and resistance to rifampicin and isoniazid. Most (32 of 35; 91%) NRLs reported the capacity to test second-line drugs that have been in clinical use for many years (fluoroquinolones, linezolid, and injectable agents). Only 23 of 35 (66%) and 21 of 35 (60%) NRLs reported the capacity to test bedaquiline and clofazimine. Further efforts will be needed to improve the availability of quality-controlled testing against WHO Group A and Group B drugs. Earlier considerations on the scale-up of diagnostic capacities should be enforced as part of future approval processes for new antimycobacterial agents.

The work deals with the mathematical modeling of traffic phenomena. The submitted model is based on a prospective analogy of some described phenomena with particle sedimentation. Both the qualitative analysis of the model and the numerical experiment is carried out. Qualitative results of the research have been compared with the known data of supervision of the traffic on city highways. As a result, the main control parameters which can use for optimal traffic management are highlighted and justified.