Lot quality assurance sampling of sputum acid-fast bacillus smears for assessing sputum smear microscopy centers.
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.
Selvakumar
N
N
Tuberculosis Research Center (Indian Council of Medical Research), Mayor V. R. Ramanathan Rd., Chetput, Chennai 600 031, India. selvakumarn@hotmail.com
Murthy
B N
BN
Prabhakaran
E
E
Sivagamasundari
S
S
Vasanthan
Samuel
S
Perumal
M
M
Govindaraju
R
R
Chauhan
L S
LS
Wares
Fraser
F
Santha
T
T
Narayanan
P R
PR
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