J Lab Med Qual Assur.  2018 Jun;40(2):51-69. 10.15263/jlmqa.2018.40.2.51.

Report on the External Quality Assessment Scheme of Hepatitis Viral Markers in Korea, (2016–2017)

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Uijeongbu, Korea.
  • 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. ejoh@catholic.ac.kr
  • 3Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, Graduate School, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
  • 4Department of Laboratory Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

As part of the immunoserology program of the Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service, we organized two trials on the external quality assessment of hepatitis viral markers in 2016 and 2017. The hepatitis viral antigens and antibodies program consisted of 10 test items. We delivered two and three types of pooled sera specimens to 965 and 965 institutions for the first and second trials of external proficiency testing in 2016, respectively. The number of participating laboratories was 915 (94.8%) and 913 (95.0%) in the first and second trials in 2016, respectively. We also delivered three kinds of pooled sera specimens to 936 and 1,015 institutions for the first and second trials of external proficiency testing in 2017, respectively. The number of participating laboratories was 920 (98.3%) and 996 (98.1%) in the first and second trials in 2017, respectively. The most commonly tested items were hepatitis B surface antigen, followed by the antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B envelope antigen, antibodies to hepatitis B envelope antigen, anti-hepatitis A virus and antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen. The most frequently used methods for detecting viral markers were the chemiluminescence immunoassay and the electrochemiluminescence immunoassay, but they yielded a few-false positive results due to the matrix effect. The immunochromatographic assay yielded false-negative results for anti-hepatitis A virus due to low sensitivity. Continuous improvement in the quality of viral hepatitis testing through participation in the survey seems necessary.

Keyword

External quality assessment; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Immunoassay; Laboratory proficiency testing; Pooled serum

MeSH Terms

Antibodies
Antigens, Viral
Biomarkers*
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B Core Antigens
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
Hepatitis B virus
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis*
Immunoassay
Immunochromatography
Korea*
Laboratory Proficiency Testing
Luminescence
Antibodies
Antigens, Viral
Biomarkers
Hepatitis B Core Antigens
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
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