Root Cause Analysis of Invalid Internal Control in COVID-19 RT-PCR Testing: A Learning Experience

Introduction: Laboratory diagnosis of Corona Virus Disease- 2019 (COVID-19) plays a major role in diagnosing and treating infection. The corner stone in strategic public health interventions and breaking the chain of transmission was diagnostic laboratory testing and case-based data. The purpose of...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: K Usha Krishnan, VG Praveena, D Therese Mary, M Suganth, A Madhumathy, Thyagarajan Ravinder
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JCDR Research and Publications Pvt. Ltd. 2023-07-01
Series:National Journal of Laboratory Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://njlm.net/article_fulltext.aspx?issn=0973-709x&year=2023&month=July&volume=12&issue=3&page=MO01%20-%20MO05&id=2730
_version_ 1797834440952512512
author K Usha Krishnan
VG Praveena
D Therese Mary
M Suganth
A Madhumathy
Thyagarajan Ravinder
author_facet K Usha Krishnan
VG Praveena
D Therese Mary
M Suganth
A Madhumathy
Thyagarajan Ravinder
author_sort K Usha Krishnan
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Laboratory diagnosis of Corona Virus Disease- 2019 (COVID-19) plays a major role in diagnosing and treating infection. The corner stone in strategic public health interventions and breaking the chain of transmission was diagnostic laboratory testing and case-based data. The purpose of the study was to establish quality control standards for RT-PCR testing laboratory by performing Root Cause Analysis (RCA) of invalid Internal Control (IC). Aim: The aim of the study was to estimate the percentage of invalid IC and to describe the most probable associated factors. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the RT-PCR laboratory in Microbiology department of Govt. Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital for a period of one month, October 2021. The nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs collected for COVID-19 testing were included in the study. A detailed check-list was prepared by the author for evaluating of invalid IC. Results: All the variables of RT-PCR test were categorised as pre-analytical, analytical and postanalytical phases and each and every component was assessed as per the protocol. Out of 23500 samples included in the study, a positive test result for COVID-19 was obtained in 164 (0.69%) and a negative result in 22533 (95.89%) patients. Around 803 (3.41%) samples included in the study showed an invalid IC. Conclusion: Current observation showed that an invalid IC could be caused by any factors starting from sample collection to reporting. Major causes for an invalid IC were due to improper extraction and sample collection.
first_indexed 2024-04-09T14:38:00Z
format Article
id doaj.art-6f11fa3a4e374ff4b2e2000675fb0f5b
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2277-8551
2455-6882
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-09T14:38:00Z
publishDate 2023-07-01
publisher JCDR Research and Publications Pvt. Ltd.
record_format Article
series National Journal of Laboratory Medicine
spelling doaj.art-6f11fa3a4e374ff4b2e2000675fb0f5b2023-05-03T11:18:30ZengJCDR Research and Publications Pvt. Ltd.National Journal of Laboratory Medicine2277-85512455-68822023-07-01123MO01MO0510.7860/NJLM/2023/59499.2730Root Cause Analysis of Invalid Internal Control in COVID-19 RT-PCR Testing: A Learning ExperienceK Usha Krishnan0VG Praveena1D Therese Mary2M Suganth3A Madhumathy4Thyagarajan Ravinder5Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Government Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Government Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Government Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Government Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Government Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.Professor and Head, Department of Microbiology, Government Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.Introduction: Laboratory diagnosis of Corona Virus Disease- 2019 (COVID-19) plays a major role in diagnosing and treating infection. The corner stone in strategic public health interventions and breaking the chain of transmission was diagnostic laboratory testing and case-based data. The purpose of the study was to establish quality control standards for RT-PCR testing laboratory by performing Root Cause Analysis (RCA) of invalid Internal Control (IC). Aim: The aim of the study was to estimate the percentage of invalid IC and to describe the most probable associated factors. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the RT-PCR laboratory in Microbiology department of Govt. Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital for a period of one month, October 2021. The nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs collected for COVID-19 testing were included in the study. A detailed check-list was prepared by the author for evaluating of invalid IC. Results: All the variables of RT-PCR test were categorised as pre-analytical, analytical and postanalytical phases and each and every component was assessed as per the protocol. Out of 23500 samples included in the study, a positive test result for COVID-19 was obtained in 164 (0.69%) and a negative result in 22533 (95.89%) patients. Around 803 (3.41%) samples included in the study showed an invalid IC. Conclusion: Current observation showed that an invalid IC could be caused by any factors starting from sample collection to reporting. Major causes for an invalid IC were due to improper extraction and sample collection.https://njlm.net/article_fulltext.aspx?issn=0973-709x&year=2023&month=July&volume=12&issue=3&page=MO01%20-%20MO05&id=2730corona virus disease-2019internal controlquality controlrt-pcr test
spellingShingle K Usha Krishnan
VG Praveena
D Therese Mary
M Suganth
A Madhumathy
Thyagarajan Ravinder
Root Cause Analysis of Invalid Internal Control in COVID-19 RT-PCR Testing: A Learning Experience
National Journal of Laboratory Medicine
corona virus disease-2019
internal control
quality control
rt-pcr test
title Root Cause Analysis of Invalid Internal Control in COVID-19 RT-PCR Testing: A Learning Experience
title_full Root Cause Analysis of Invalid Internal Control in COVID-19 RT-PCR Testing: A Learning Experience
title_fullStr Root Cause Analysis of Invalid Internal Control in COVID-19 RT-PCR Testing: A Learning Experience
title_full_unstemmed Root Cause Analysis of Invalid Internal Control in COVID-19 RT-PCR Testing: A Learning Experience
title_short Root Cause Analysis of Invalid Internal Control in COVID-19 RT-PCR Testing: A Learning Experience
title_sort root cause analysis of invalid internal control in covid 19 rt pcr testing a learning experience
topic corona virus disease-2019
internal control
quality control
rt-pcr test
url https://njlm.net/article_fulltext.aspx?issn=0973-709x&year=2023&month=July&volume=12&issue=3&page=MO01%20-%20MO05&id=2730
work_keys_str_mv AT kushakrishnan rootcauseanalysisofinvalidinternalcontrolincovid19rtpcrtestingalearningexperience
AT vgpraveena rootcauseanalysisofinvalidinternalcontrolincovid19rtpcrtestingalearningexperience
AT dtheresemary rootcauseanalysisofinvalidinternalcontrolincovid19rtpcrtestingalearningexperience
AT msuganth rootcauseanalysisofinvalidinternalcontrolincovid19rtpcrtestingalearningexperience
AT amadhumathy rootcauseanalysisofinvalidinternalcontrolincovid19rtpcrtestingalearningexperience
AT thyagarajanravinder rootcauseanalysisofinvalidinternalcontrolincovid19rtpcrtestingalearningexperience