External quality assessment of dengue and chikungunya diagnostics in the Asia Pacific region, 2015

Authors

  • Li Ting Soh WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research of Arbovirus and their Associated Vectors, Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
  • Raynal C Squires Emerging Disease Surveillance and Response, Division of Health Security and Emergencies, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines
  • Li Kiang Tan WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research of Arbovirus and their Associated Vectors, Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
  • Kwoon Yong Pok WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research of Arbovirus and their Associated Vectors, Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
  • HuiTing Yang WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research of Arbovirus and their Associated Vectors, Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
  • Christina Liew WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research of Arbovirus and their Associated Vectors, Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
  • Aparna Singh Shah Blood Safety and Laboratory Technology, Communicable Diseases Department, World Health Organization Regional Office for the South East-Asia, New Delhi, India
  • John Aaskov WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research of Arbovirus and their Associated Vectors, Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
  • Sazaly Abubakar WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus Reference and Research (Dengue/Severe Dengue), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre, Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Futoshi Hasebe WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Tropical and Emerging Virus Diseases, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
  • Lee Ching Ng WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research of Arbovirus and their Associated Vectors, Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
  • Frank Konings Emerging Disease Surveillance and Response, Division of Health Security and Emergencies, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5365/wpsar.2016.7.1.002

Abstract

Objective: To conduct an external quality assessment (EQA) of dengue and chikungunya diagnostics among national-level public health laboratories in the Asia Pacific region following the first round of EQA for dengue diagnostics in 2013.

Methods: Twenty-four national-level public health laboratories performed routine diagnostic assays on a proficiency testing panel consisting of two modules. Module A contained serum samples spiked with cultured dengue virus (DENV) or chikungunya virus (CHIKV) for the detection of nucleic acid and DENV non-structural protein 1 (NS1) antigen. Module B contained human serum samples for the detection of anti-DENV antibodies.

Results: Among 20 laboratories testing Module A, 17 (85%) correctly detected DENV RNA by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR), 18 (90%) correctly determined serotype and 19 (95%) correctly identified CHIKV by RT–PCR. Ten of 15 (66.7%) laboratories performing NS1 antigen assays obtained the correct results. In Module B, 18/23 (78.3%) and 20/20 (100%) of laboratories correctly detected anti-DENV IgM and IgG, respectively. Detection of acute/recent DENV infection by both molecular (RT–PCR) and serological methods (IgM) was available in 19/24 (79.2%) participating laboratories.

Discussion: Accurate laboratory testing is a critical component of dengue and chikungunya surveillance and control. This second round of EQA reveals good proficiency in molecular and serological diagnostics of these diseases in the Asia Pacific region. Further comprehensive diagnostic testing, including testing for Zika virus, should comprise future iterations of the EQA.

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Published

19-10-2016

How to Cite

1.
Soh LT, Squires RC, Tan LK, Pok KY, Yang H, Liew C, Shah AS, Aaskov J, Abubakar S, Hasebe F, Ng LC, Konings F. External quality assessment of dengue and chikungunya diagnostics in the Asia Pacific region, 2015. Western Pac Surveill Response J [Internet]. 2016 Oct. 19 [cited 2026 Apr. 9];7(2). Available from: https://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/420

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 2 (2016): April – June

Section

Original Research

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