Quality control procedures in an automated serological testing laboratory

Abstract

All automated complement fixation test results and testing procedures carried out at the Central Brucellosis Laboratory for the Brucellosis Eradication Scheme undergo quality control checks. Auto-Analyzer performance is monitored by reagent concentrations, peak heights of the standard positive sera and percent transmission for 0% and 100% lysis of sheep red blood cells. Deviations in the size and form of sample peaks indicate problems with the serum sample or the testing system.

A trial designed to detect inapparent errors found that these constituted 0.6% of the samples surveyed, while apparent errors caused 11.5% of routine serum samples to be retested. The introduction of more stringent quality control measures reduced the number of samples requiring retesting to 3.4% of all samples tested. Continuing education of staff is considered an important means of improving the quality of laboratory work.