EQA – External Quality Assessment


External Quality Assessment for laboratory detection of low-risk and high-risk types of human papillomaviruses

External Quality Assessment (EQA) of laboratory detection of low-risk (LR) and high-risk (HR) types of human papillomaviruses (HPV) is provided to participating laboratories. Since 1999, a 5 EQA sample series is distributed every year to each of the interested laboratories. Samples are prepared by the National Reference Laboratory for Papillomaviruses (NRL-PV) and distributed by the Accreditation Department of the Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology (AD-CEM), National Institute of Public Health, Prague, the coordinating centre for EQA in medical microbiology.

As since 2003, EQA has also been provided to laboratories using PCR-based diagnostic kits, AD-CEM informed all participating laboratories that samples of this type would be distributed on request. Any participating laboratory can also address directly NRL-PV.

EQA is carried out depending on the diagnostic kit used (i.e. depending on whether the kit detects both LR and HR HPV types or HR HPV types only). If the kit used is able to detect both LR and HR HPV types, the participating laboratory is awarded a score of 2 for each correct result and loses a score of 1 for failure to detect either LR or HR HPV types. When an incorrect result is reported for a specimen with a borderline amount of virus in view of the detection limit of the given kit (provided the test is recommended for diagnostic use by the NRL), NRL requires correct interpretation of any equivocal result. If possible, based on the results, NRL informs the participating laboratory about the mechanism likely to be responsible for the error (e.g. low sensitivity of the method, defective kit batch, improper execution of the test, specimen contamination, etc.).

NRL-PV informs the participating laboratories about their scores achieved in EQA, annual certificates are issued by the AD-CEM, the coordinating centre for EQA in medical microbiology.

For more details on enrolling, cost, etc., do not hesitate to contact:

Ivan Peter, MSc
Accreditation Department, Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology
National Institute of Public Health
Šrobárova 48, 100 42 Prague 10, Czech Republic
Phone/Fax: +420 267 082 246, +420 267 082 250

Overview of specimen types available and distribution timetable are presented at: http://www.szu.cz/cem/hpcem.htm


Downloadable files in Microsoft Excel format - MS XLS

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