External Quality Assessment of Sputum Smear Microscopy in Tuberculosis Laboratories in Sughd, Tajikistan.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Tajikistan has a laboratory network with three levels of tuberculosis (TB) laboratories. The external quality assessment (EQA) of sputum smear microscopy was implemented in 2007. The objective of this study was to evaluate the EQA system and identify potential performance improvement strategies in TB microscopic laboratories in Sughd, Tajikistan.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study based on retrospective record review and secondary data analyses on Acid-Fast Bacilli (AFB) microscopy data and EQA reading results collected between the first quarter of 2011 and the fourth quarter of 2013. Descriptive analyses were conducted to examine the overview of microscopy laboratories activities, EQA results, and laboratory performance.

Result

Of the 123,874 smears

SUBMITTER: Chang E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5661208 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature