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The Model Performance Evaluation Program (MPEP) is an educational, self-assessment tool in which five isolates of M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC) are sent to participating laboratories biannually for staff to monitor their ability to determine drug resistance among the isolates. It is not a formal, graded proficiency testing program. The associated report includes results for a subset of laboratories performing drug susceptibility tests (DST) for MTBC in the United States. MPEP is a voluntary program, and this report reflects data received from participating laboratory personnel. This aggregate report is prepared in a format that will allow laboratory personnel to compare their DST results with those obtained by other participants using the same methods and drugs, for each isolate. We encourage circulation of this report to personnel who are either involved with DST or reporting and interpreting results for MTBC isolates.

CDC is neither recommending nor endorsing testing practices reported by participants. For standards, participants should refer to consensus documents published by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), “M24: Susceptibility Testing of Mycobacteria, Nocardiae spp., and Other Aerobic Actinomycetes” and “M24S: Performance Standards for Susceptibility Testing of Mycobacteria, Nocardia spp., and Other Aerobic Actinomycetes” [1-3]. Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) published two technical reports investigating critical concentrations, by method, for INH, RMP, EMB, PZA and second-line anti-tuberculosis drugs [4, 5].

Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention