title: [Quality of rapid tests for determination of infectious mononucleosis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Norwegian centre for quality assurance in primary health care, NOKLUS, was established in 1992 to ensure the quality of laboratory analyses performed in primary health care. This article evaluates results from the surveys of infectious mononucleosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1996 to 2000, five serum panels were sent to participating practices in order to control test-kits designed for serological rapid diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis. 648 practices participated in this external quality assessment in 2000. Target values were determined using the Paul Bunell Davidsohn test. The results obtained for each type of test and variables that might have affected the results were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Outdated kits or kits close to the date of expiration showed poorer results than the other test-kits. The quality of the results depended mainly on the type of test-kit used and the training level of the persons performing the analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The best performing tests in these surveys were Clearview IM (Unipath Limited) and Contrast Mono (Genzyme diagnostics). These two tests are among the three most frequently used tests, out of a total of thirteen, in our surveys.
authors.affiliation: NOKLUS Seksjon for allmennmedisin Institutt for samfunnsmedisinske fag Universitetet i Bergen Ulriksdal 8c 5009 Bergen.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Skurtveit
authors.forename: W I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Bjelkarøy
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thue
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hoddevik
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000592:standards; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards; D009664:Norway; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000592:standards*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic