ArticlePloS one2018
Factors which contributed for low quality sputum smears for the detection of acid fast bacilli (AFB) at selected health centers in Ethiopia: A quality control perspective.
Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Quality of tuberculosis diagnostic laboratories in Ethiopia assessed through External Quality Assessment components: a systematic review.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Pooled it
- Estimating the number of incorrect tuberculosis diagnoses in low- and middle-income countries.Nature medicine · 2026Article
- A high centrifugal force-enhanced Ziehl-Neelsen method for improved detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.PloS one · 2026Article
- Proficiency and associated factors of laboratory professionals in sputum smear microscopy at selected peripheral public and private diagnostic laboratories in Ethiopia: cross-sectional study.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Development and preliminary evaluation toward a new tuberculosis treatment monitoring tool: the PATHFAST TB LAM Ag assay.Journal of clinical microbiology · 2024Article
- Impact of randomized blinded rechecking program on the performance of the AFB Microscopy Laboratory Network in Uganda: a decadal retrospective study.BMC infectious diseases · 2023Article
- Performance of Bleach Method Sputum Smear Microscopy for the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in a Highly Endemic District in Lima, Peru.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Tween 80 Improves the Acid-Fast Bacilli Quantification in the Magnetic Nanoparticle-Based Colorimetric Biosensing Assay (NCBA).Biosensors · 2022Article
- Sputum smears quality inspection using an ensemble feature extraction approach.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
- Correlation between serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels and computed tomography severity score in patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- Article
- Development and validation of external quality assessment panels for mycobacterial culture testing to diagnose tuberculosis in China.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2019Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesQuality of tuberculosis (TB) microscopy diagnosis is not a guarantee despite implementation of External Quality Assurance (EQA) service in all laboratories of health facilities. Hence, we aimed at evaluating the technical quality and the findings of sputum smear microscopy for acid fast bacilli (AFB) at health centers in Hararge Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.
methodsA cross-sectional study was carried out between July 8, 2014 and July 7, 2015.A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) method was put into practice for collecting all necessary sample slides. Data were analyzed by using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 20 software. P-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
resultsOf the total55 health center laboratories which had been assessed during the study period, 20 (36.4%) had major technical errors; 13 (23.6%) had 15 false negative results and 17 (30.9%) had 22 false positive results. Moreover, poor specimen quality, smear size, smear thickness, staining and evenness were indicated in 40 (72.7%), 39 (70.9%), 37 (67.3%), 27(49.1%) and 37 (67.3%) of the collected samples, respectively. False negative AFB findings were significantly associated with lack of Internal Quality Control (IQC) measures (AOR (Adjusted Odds Ratio): 2.90 (95% CI (Confidence Interval): 1.25,6.75) and poor staining procedures (AOR: 2.16(95% CI: 1.01, 5.11).
conclusionsThe qualities of AFB smear microscopy reading and smearing were low in most of the laboratories of the health centers. Therefore, it is essential to strength EQA program through building the capacity of laboratory professionals.
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