The survey will be available from 06 October 2026 to 30 November 2026, with both dates inclusive across all time zones.
Rationale: The global epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) remains incompletely characterized. Available data are frequently derived from individual centres, selected regions, reference laboratories, surveillance systems, or retrospective laboratory datasets. Differences in laboratory role, referral pathways, culture methods, taxonomic identification, and reporting practices can influence the mycobacteria observed and make comparisons between settings challenging.
Mycobacteriology laboratories operate at different levels of diagnostic and referral networks, ranging from hospital and local diagnostic laboratories performing primary culture to regional and national reference laboratories providing confirmatory identification, drug susceptibility testing, sequencing, and other specialist services. Capturing data across these different laboratory settings can provide a more complete picture of contemporary MTBc and NTM epidemiology and laboratory practice.
Aim: This survey therefore aims to provide a standardized global overview of mycobacterial (MTBc and NTM) epidemiology and of identification and reporting practices across mycobacteriology laboratories operating at different levels of national and regional laboratory networks.
Objectives
- To describe the global and regional distribution of reported mycobacterial culture results and isolates, with particular emphasis on MTBc and NTM species and complexes.
- To characterize the distribution of MTBc and NTM species by specimen source and explore geographical variation in culture-based NTM epidemiology.
- To assess how mycobacteriology laboratories differentiate MTBc from NTM and identify NTM isolates, including the methods used and the highest taxonomic resolution achievable.
- To provide a brief overview of selected aspects of external quality assessment, training, and perceived challenges relevant to NTM laboratory practice.
Respondents
This survey is intended for laboratories that routinely perform mycobacterial diagnostic testing, culture, identification, susceptibility testing, and/or receive mycobacterial cultures or isolates for reference or confirmatory testing. Eligible laboratories may include hospital, regional, provincial/state, public health, academic, private, supranational reference, and other specialist mycobacteriology laboratories.
This survey is not intended for National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) or laboratories fulfilling an equivalent national reference role. A complementary survey for NRLs is available at https://survey.kuleuven.cloud/348972?lang=en
Only one response should be submitted for each distinct laboratory.
The questionnaire should preferably be completed by the laboratory director, senior microbiologist, mycobacteriology lead, or another designated staff member with knowledge of the laboratory's routine practices and access to the requested 2025 laboratory epidemiology data. Up to 3 members from the laboratory can be listed for collaborative study group authorship for completing the survey.
The survey takes approximately 12–15 mins to complete. Please do not enter any patient-identifiable information. Only aggregated laboratory data are requested.
Features
- Save and resume later: You can save your progress and return to the survey at a later time. Watch tutorial by pressing the link (1 min)
/upload/surveys/594816/files/Tutorial.mp4
- Collaborative completion: Where necessary, different sections may be completed with input from colleagues responsible for epidemiology, culture, identification, or quality assurance.
- Multi-lingual deployment: The survey is available in 4 languages (English, French, Spanish, and Russian).
- Navigation: You can move backwards and forwards through the survey and review your responses before final submission.
- Structured sections: The survey is divided into shorter sections to facilitate completion.
Lead Study Contact
Nityanand Jain, MD
Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases and Thoracic Surgery
KU Leuven, Belgium
Email: nityanand.jain@kuleuven.be
Study supervisors
- Natalie Lorent, UZ Leuven / KU Leuven, Belgium
- Gert-Jan Wijnant, KU Leuven, Belgium
- Emmanuel Andre, UZ Leuven / KU Leuven, Belgium
- Leen Rigouts, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Sushil Pandey, Queensland Mycobacterium Reference Laboratory, Pathology Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Rumina Hasan, WHO Supranational Reference Laboratory, Pakistan
- Kevin L. Winthrop, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
- Dissou Affolabi, WHO Tuberculosis Supranational Reference Laboratory, Cotonou, Benin
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Consent Notice
By proceeding further, you consent to participate in this study on behalf of your laboratory. By agreeing to participate, you also consent to the publication of aggregated study results and any verbatim free-text responses you choose to provide.
Laboratory epidemiology data may be summarized and presented at laboratory, subnational, country, and regional level, including in tables, figures, maps, and supplementary material. Individual respondents will not be identified in publications; however, presentation of laboratory- or country-level aggregated data may indirectly make contributing laboratories or individuals identifiable in some settings.
Respondent-level data will be pseudonymized where required for study management and analysis. Please note that no patient-identifiable information should be entered anywhere in the survey.
