International external quality assessment for SARS-CoV-2 molecular detection and survey on clinical laboratory preparedness during the COVID-19 pandemic, April/May 2020

Euro Surveill. 2020 Jul;25(27):2001223. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.27.2001223.

Abstract

Laboratory preparedness with quality-assured diagnostic assays is essential for controlling the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. We conducted an external quality assessment study with inactivated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) samples to support clinical laboratories with a proficiency testing option for molecular assays. To analyse SARS-CoV-2 testing performance, we used an online questionnaire developed for the European Union project RECOVER to assess molecular testing capacities in clinical diagnostic laboratories.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; external quality assessment (EQA); laboratory preparedness; laboratory testing; molecular detection; novel coronavirus; outbreak control.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Clinical Laboratory Services
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques / methods*
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques / standards*
  • Coronavirus / isolation & purification*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis*
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Europe
  • Humans
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / methods*
  • Pandemics* / prevention & control
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / standards
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / standards
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Surveys and Questionnaires