Lab Med Qual Assur.  2021 Dec;43(4):185-189. 10.15263/jlmqa.2021.43.4.185.

Report of the Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service on Peripheral Blood Smear Testing for Malaria in 2020

• Chang J
• Lee HR
• Song JE
• Um TH
• Kim S

• KMID: 2524186
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15263/jlmqa.2021.43.4.185

Abstract

External quality assessment (EQA) of peripheral blood smear test for malaria was conducted as a pilot project in 2020 by the Korean Association of EQA Service. Two trials were performed with three different cases per trial. Scanned images for the whole slide with brief patient histories were distributed to the participating laboratories online. In total, 208 and 232 laboratories participated in the two trials, respectively. The acceptable rates for malaria detection were 96.1%–100.0% and those for identifying malarial species were 68.1%–97.6%. The acceptable rates for parasitemia count were 87.2%–94.6%. The EQA scheme assessing peripheral blood smear test for malaria can contribute to the improvement of the diagnostic ability of the participating laboratories.

Keyword

Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service; Malaria; Plasmodium; Laboratory proficiency testing