More than 200 participants attended the 5th National Conference on Laboratory Aspects of Tuberculosis that was held in San Diego, CA, August 11-13, 2008. The three-day conference addressed recommendations from APHL and CDC regarding drug susceptibility testing, new TB diagnostics, including the use of molecular tests and interferon gamma release assays, global laboratory implications and the integration of laboratories into TB control programs. The keynote address was given by Kenneth Castro, MD, director, Division of TB Elimination, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Slide Presentations
The conference schedule is listed below; presentations with links have been authorized to be posted on this website. Duplication is not authorized without the express written permission of the authors. The author and “5th National Conference on Laboratory Aspects of Tuberculosis” must be cited once permission is received.

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Monday, August 11, 2008


Plenary Session - Opening Session
Moderator – Christopher Peter, PhD, San Diego County Public Health Laboratory

Tuberculosis – The Big Picture 2008
- Kenneth Castro, MD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    
Essential Mycobacteriology Laboratory Services in the Era of MDR- and XDR-TB: A Clinician’s Perspective
- Barbara Seaworth, MD, Heartland Regional Training and  Medical Consultation Center

Essential Mycobacteriology Laboratory Services in the Era of MDR- and XDR-TB: A TB Controller’s Perspective
- James Watt, MD, MPH, CA Department of Public Health


Plenary Session - Drug Susceptibility Testing Methods
Moderator – Tom Shinnick, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Basis of Drug Susceptibility Testing and Gaps in Drug Susceptibility Knowledge
- Tom Shinnick, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Currently Available Drug Susceptibility Testing Methods
-  Beverly Metchock, DrPH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

APHL/CDC Expert Consultation Discussion
- John Ridderhof, DrPH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Interactive Panel Discussion: Currently Available Drug Susceptibility Testing Methods
Moderator – Betty Forbes, PhD, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Beverly Metchock, John Ridderhof, Tom Shinnick, Ken Jost and David Warshauer


Plenary Session - Diagnostics Methods
Moderator – Bruce Hanna, PhD, New York University School of Medicine    

Standard Diagnostic Methods: Optimal Use & Algorithms
- Betty Forbes, PhD, Virginia Commonwealth University
    
NAATs Methods and Algorithms
- David Warshauer, PhD, WI State Laboratory of Hygiene
    
Interactive Panel Discussion: Diagnostic Methods
- Bruce Hanna, Betty Forbes, Beverly Metchock, David Warshauer and Ed Desmond


Tuesday, August 12, 2008


Plenary Session – QA and Test Validation
Moderator – Ed Desmond, PhD, CA Department of Public Health Laboratory

New Diagnostic Methods
- Richard O’Brien, MD, Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics

Incorporating New Tests in the Laboratory: Validation of Conventional Tests and Second Line DSTs, Drug Stability
- Edward Desmond, PhD, California Department of Public Health Laboratory

Incorporating New Tests in the Laboratory: Validation of New Molecular Tests
- Kimberlee Musser, PhD, New York State Wadsworth Center

Quality Assurance and Proficiency Testing in the Mycobacteriology Laboratory
- Bruce Hanna, PhD, New York University School of Medicine

Interactive Panel Discussion: QA and Test Validation
- Richard O’Brien, Ed Desmond, Kim Musser and Bruce Hanna


Plenary Session – Laboratory Systems
Moderator – John Ridderhof, DrPH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Plan for Laboratory Systems
- Angela Starks, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

New York Fast Track Model
- Vincent Escuyer, PharmD, PhD, New York State Wadsworth Center

Wisconsin Model
- David Warshauer, PhD, WI State Laboratory of Hygiene

California MGITs in the Mail Model
- Edward Desmond, PhD, CA Department of Public Health

Interactive Panel Discussion: Laboratory Systems
- John Ridderhof, Angela Starks, Max Salfinger, David Warshauer, Ed Desmond, Michael Lewinski and Vincent Escuyer


Plenary Session – Laboratory Capacity Building 1
Moderator – Ken Jost, Texas Department of State Health Services

The Global Laboratory Initiative and Partnership Laboratory Capacity Building Efforts with WHO
- John Ridderhof, DrPH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

PEPFAR HIV/TB Laboratory Capacity Building
- Linda Parsons, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Plenary Session – Laboratory Capacity Building 2
Moderator – Anthony Tran, MPH, MT(ASCP), Association of Public Health Laboratories

APHL Global Health Program TB-related Activities
- Travis Jobe, Association of Public Health Laboratories

ASM Laboratory Capacity Building
- Lynee Galley, American Society for Microbiology      
    
Interactive Panel Discussion: Laboratory Capacity Building    
- Ken Jost, John Ridderhof, Linda Parsons, Anthony Tran, Travis Jobe and Lynee Galley


Wednesday, August 13, 2008


Plenary Session - IGRAs
Moderator - David Warshauer, PhD, WI State Laboratory of Hygiene

Overview of IGRAs: QuantiFERON-TB Gold and T-spot TB/Applying IGRAs to TB Control
- L. Masae Kawamura, MD, San Francisco Department of Public Health

Implementation of QuantiFERON-TB Gold in Public Health Laboratories
- Anthony Tran, MPH, MT(ASCP), Association of Public Health Laboratories

Operational Issues with Implementation of QuantiFERON-TB Gold in State and Local Public Health Laboratories
- Michael Pentella, PhD, University Hygienic Laboratory and Aline Grigorian, PhD, San Diego County Public Health Laboratory

Interactive Panel Discussion: IGRAs
- David Warshauer, Masae Kawamura, Anthony Tran, Michael Pentella and Aline Grigorian


Plenary Session – Genotyping and Genetics
Moderator – Max Salfinger, MD, Florida Bureau of Laboratories

Genotyping: Laboratory Aspects
- Sonia Lugo, BS, Michigan Department of Community Health

Genotyping: Applications to TB Control
- Marisa Moore, MD, MPH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency

Mycobacterial Population Genetics and Genomics
- Stefan Niemann, PhD, National Reference Center for Mycobacteria
   
The Mycobacteriology Laboratory of the Future
- Michael Wilson, MD, Denver Public Health Laboratory

   
Post Conference Workshop
Moderator – Kelly Wroblewski, MPH, Association of Public Health Laboratories

CDC Cooperative Agreements and US Public Health Laboratory Services
- Angela Stark, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Laboratory Upgrade Component of TB Elimination Cooperative Agreements
- Angela Stark, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 

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