title: Lot quality assurance sampling of sputum acid-fast bacillus smears for assessing sputum smear microscopy centers.
abstract: Assessment of 12 microscopy centers in a tuberculosis unit by blinded checking of eight sputum smears selected by using a lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) method and by unblinded checking of all positive and five negative slides, among the slides examined in a month in a microscopy centre, revealed that the LQAS method can be implemented in the field to monitor the performance of acid-fast bacillus microscopy centers in national tuberculosis control programs.
authors.affiliation: Tuberculosis Research Center (Indian Council of Medical Research), Mayor V. R. Ramanathan Rd., Chetput, Chennai 600 031, India. selvakumarn@hotmail.com
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Selvakumar
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prabhakaran
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sivagamasundari
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vasanthan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perumal
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Govindaraju
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: Fraser
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wares
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Santha
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Narayanan
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards; D008853:Microscopy / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D011786:Quality Control; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology