{"title":"Improvement of laboratory testing services by implementation of quality assurance scheme","authors":"A. Singh, R. Sachan, S. Kumar","doi":"10.4038/sljid.v14i1.8541","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v14i1.8541","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: The National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), Government of India and the Uttar Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (UPSACS) established the State Referral Laboratory (SRL) in the Department of Microbiology, Motilal Nehru Medical College, Prayagraj for HIV testing and monitoring of linked HIV Counselling and Testing Services (HCTS) in Uttar Pradesh.Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted from 2008 to 2021. In this evaluation period 10144 serum samples (9580 HIV negative, 555 HIV positive and 9 discordant) were received for retesting at SRL. The Quality Control serum samples received from testing sites consisted of 5% negative and 20% positive from all tested samples collected in the first seven days in the External Quality Assurance Scheme (EQAS) quarter month i.e. January, April, July and October. All samples were tested using rapid diagnostic kits procured by NACO/UPSACS with NACO testing strategy. All linked centres with SRL received 4 coded serum samples for proficiency testing (PT) which were tested similarly.Results: Of 10144 serum samples, 99.92% reported correct results and 0.08% reported discrepancy due to various issues. Similarly in the proficiency testing programme, of 4072 samples tested between 2010 to 2021 by testing sites, 4061 (99.07%) reported concordant results and the remaining14 (0.34%) samples reported indeterminate results. Of the 4072 samples, 14 shows discordant results by three different rapid tests based on different principles. Hands on training were provided for technicians who reported indeterminate results in PT or retesting.Conclusion: The tremendous increase in quality testing at peripheral centrally linked centres increase the reliability of HIV diagnosis at ground level. The study also concluded that continuous monitoring and mentoring of technicians of the diagnostic laboratories under EQAS improves their quality for HIV diagnosis.","PeriodicalId":509678,"journal":{"name":"Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"381 4-6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139860224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Microbiological analysis of skin and soft tissue infections in children presenting to a paediatric tertiary care centre in Sri Lanka","authors":"G. A. P. Dilrukshi, M. Abeywardena, L. Yapa","doi":"10.4038/sljid.v14i1.8580","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v14i1.8580","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are a common cause of hospitalisation in children. They are diverse in spectrum, ranging from impetigo and abscesses to life threatening necrotising infections. The main pathogens associated with SSTIs are Staphylococccus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. Emergence of community acquired methicillin resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA) is of major concern when antibiotics are required, and it is important to know the prevalence of these pathogens in different geographic locations. This study was done with the aim of identifying and characterising the common bacterial pathogens implicated in SSTIs in children presenting to Sirimavo Bandaranaike Children’s Hospital (SBSCH), Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, which is one of the two paediatric referral hospitals in Sri Lanka.Method: A retrospective, descriptive study analysed data gathered from request forms accompanying pus and tissue sent for culture from patients with SSTIs to the SBSCH microbiology laboratory during a period of 13 months from January 2021 to January 2022.Results: Two hundred and ninety samples were received from suspected SSTIs of which 197 (67.9%) were positive for bacterial growth, with S. aureus present in 163 (83%). Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was isolated from 113 (57%) and methicillin sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) from 50 (25%). The frequency of coliforms, Pseudomonas spp., and Group A streptococcus were 31 (16%), 3 (1.5%) and 4 (2%) respectively. Sensitivity of MRSA isolates to cotrimoxazole, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin and erythromycin were 97%, 86%,72% and 29% respectively. Among MSSA isolates, 94% were sensitive to cotrimoxazole, while sensitivity to clindamycin, ciprofloxacin and erythromycin were 74%, 67% and 40% respectively.Conclusion: MRSA was the most frequent pathogen associated with purulent SSTIs in children, followed by MSSA. One fourth of MSSA were resistant to ciprofloxacin and clindamycin. Ciprofloxacin and clindamycin resistance in MRSA was 15% and 28% respectively.","PeriodicalId":509678,"journal":{"name":"Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"18 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139859205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Improvement of laboratory testing services by implementation of quality assurance scheme","authors":"A. Singh, R. Sachan, S. Kumar","doi":"10.4038/sljid.v14i1.8541","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v14i1.8541","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: The National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), Government of India and the Uttar Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (UPSACS) established the State Referral Laboratory (SRL) in the Department of Microbiology, Motilal Nehru Medical College, Prayagraj for HIV testing and monitoring of linked HIV Counselling and Testing Services (HCTS) in Uttar Pradesh.Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted from 2008 to 2021. In this evaluation period 10144 serum samples (9580 HIV negative, 555 HIV positive and 9 discordant) were received for retesting at SRL. The Quality Control serum samples received from testing sites consisted of 5% negative and 20% positive from all tested samples collected in the first seven days in the External Quality Assurance Scheme (EQAS) quarter month i.e. January, April, July and October. All samples were tested using rapid diagnostic kits procured by NACO/UPSACS with NACO testing strategy. All linked centres with SRL received 4 coded serum samples for proficiency testing (PT) which were tested similarly.Results: Of 10144 serum samples, 99.92% reported correct results and 0.08% reported discrepancy due to various issues. Similarly in the proficiency testing programme, of 4072 samples tested between 2010 to 2021 by testing sites, 4061 (99.07%) reported concordant results and the remaining14 (0.34%) samples reported indeterminate results. Of the 4072 samples, 14 shows discordant results by three different rapid tests based on different principles. Hands on training were provided for technicians who reported indeterminate results in PT or retesting.Conclusion: The tremendous increase in quality testing at peripheral centrally linked centres increase the reliability of HIV diagnosis at ground level. The study also concluded that continuous monitoring and mentoring of technicians of the diagnostic laboratories under EQAS improves their quality for HIV diagnosis.","PeriodicalId":509678,"journal":{"name":"Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"6 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139800262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Microbiological analysis of skin and soft tissue infections in children presenting to a paediatric tertiary care centre in Sri Lanka","authors":"G. A. P. Dilrukshi, M. Abeywardena, L. Yapa","doi":"10.4038/sljid.v14i1.8580","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v14i1.8580","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are a common cause of hospitalisation in children. They are diverse in spectrum, ranging from impetigo and abscesses to life threatening necrotising infections. The main pathogens associated with SSTIs are Staphylococccus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. Emergence of community acquired methicillin resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA) is of major concern when antibiotics are required, and it is important to know the prevalence of these pathogens in different geographic locations. This study was done with the aim of identifying and characterising the common bacterial pathogens implicated in SSTIs in children presenting to Sirimavo Bandaranaike Children’s Hospital (SBSCH), Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, which is one of the two paediatric referral hospitals in Sri Lanka.Method: A retrospective, descriptive study analysed data gathered from request forms accompanying pus and tissue sent for culture from patients with SSTIs to the SBSCH microbiology laboratory during a period of 13 months from January 2021 to January 2022.Results: Two hundred and ninety samples were received from suspected SSTIs of which 197 (67.9%) were positive for bacterial growth, with S. aureus present in 163 (83%). Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was isolated from 113 (57%) and methicillin sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) from 50 (25%). The frequency of coliforms, Pseudomonas spp., and Group A streptococcus were 31 (16%), 3 (1.5%) and 4 (2%) respectively. Sensitivity of MRSA isolates to cotrimoxazole, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin and erythromycin were 97%, 86%,72% and 29% respectively. Among MSSA isolates, 94% were sensitive to cotrimoxazole, while sensitivity to clindamycin, ciprofloxacin and erythromycin were 74%, 67% and 40% respectively.Conclusion: MRSA was the most frequent pathogen associated with purulent SSTIs in children, followed by MSSA. One fourth of MSSA were resistant to ciprofloxacin and clindamycin. Ciprofloxacin and clindamycin resistance in MRSA was 15% and 28% respectively.","PeriodicalId":509678,"journal":{"name":"Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"285 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139799295","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}