Infection Serology
- The Section
for Infectious Disease Serology organizes schemes to support the serologic
diagnosis of infectious diseases. The Section is part of the Foundation for
Quality Assessment in Diagnostic Medical Laboratories (Stichting Kwaliteitsbewaking
Medische Laboratoriumdiagnostiek – SKML).
- For
profession-related information about the schemes please contact one of the Section
leaders. The structure of the Section for Infectious Disease Serology can be
found here.
- Requests
to participate in a scheme are handled by the SKML-office (contact information SKML-office). The
SKML-office also provides general information about the organization of the schemes,
the Q-base system via which the results are submitted and the costs of
participation. Invoicing is also carried out by the SKML-office.
Design of the Schemes
-
The schemes
from the Section for Infectious Disease Serology consist of serum samples
required for the detection of antibody and antigens derived from various
pathogens. You can register separately for various schemes. Each scheme
consists of a number of samples and takes place one to three times per year.
There are analytical and interpretative schemes. For the first, the aim is to
monitor the analytical quality of the results. For the second, the emphasis is
primarily on the interpretation of the serological results (link to the list of schemes).
- The schemes
are prepared by various scheme coordinators.
- The
material is first analyzed by a number of reference laboratories before it is
included in the scheme. In some schemes a short case-history is provided with
each sample and an interpretation of the test results is requested.
- The
participants send their findings via the Internet to the SKML; analytical scheme
results are sent via the Viralq website and the interpretative results are sent
via the QBase computer system. Shortly afterwards the participants receive an
email with a link to the report on the scheme. This includes their own results
in relation to the other participants’ and the scores obtained. Sometimes
detailed queries are also put forward. Responses to these detailed queries are
encouraged, but points are not awarded. These queries are intended to provide a
record of and expand the knowledge base about diagnosis and treatment of
infectious diseases for the participants.
-
The
evaluation which later follows is intended as an educational discussion of the
submitted results and the detailed queries from the scheme.
-
Participation
in the schemes is undisclosed. The results from the scheme are confidentially
evaluated.
-
The
participant receives an annual report of their scores obtained in relation to
the scores obtained by the other participants.
Section Objectives
-
The Section
aims, via the organization of schemes, to support the participating
laboratories in the monitoring of the quality of the diagnostic process in the
field of Infectious Disease Serology, from the moment the sample arrives until
and including the reporting of the test results and the related
interpretations.
-
The Section
will analyze and record the test results and related interpretations from the
various participants in an evaluation report. Detailed queries regarding
infectious disease serology can provide an overview of the performance of and
interpretations from the participants.
-
Dissemination
of knowledge is provided by presentation of the schemes during the NWKV and
Working Group West/East meetings. Additionally a regular session is organized
within the NVMM Spring meeting where the main issues within Infectious Disease
Serology can be discussed.
-
The Section
adheres fully to the Calibration 2000 plan and strives for the development of
commutable calibration and precision verifying material for the benefit of
calibration and control methods.
-
The Section
provides the schemes in the field of infectious disease serology and analyzes
and evaluates the results from all the schemes which take place within a
calendar year. Based on the evaluations the SKML Section of Infectious Disease
Serology can provide advice in the area of diagnosis and/or in-service training
of the participating laboratories.
