QCMD Publications
Scientific publications from QCMD on current issues of quality assurance in clinical laboratories
| Mikaty G, Fares W, Feghali R, Karam S, Pérez-Ramírez E, Fernández-Pinero J, Donoso Mantke O, McCulloch E, Landt O, Robert V, Dente MG, Declich S, Hendrickx G, Lagal V, Battaglia S, Essawy N, Seguy M, Jiménez-Clavero MA, Manuguerra JC. MediLabSecure: A One Health Network Facing the COVID-19 Pandemic. Health Secur. 2026 Jul 1:23265094261459293. | Link |
| Presser LD, Yousef A, McCulloch E, Schaumburg J, Meijer A. Evaluation of molecular detection for respiratory syncytial viruses in World Health Organization Europe region laboratories, 2020-2023. J Clin Virol. 2025 Aug;179:105832. | Link |
| Ricketts A, Montgomery D, Loeffler J, Barnes R, Cruciani M, Donnelly JP, White PL. A longitudinal study assessing Aspergillus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) performance through participation in external quality assessment schemes from 2019 to 2022. Med Mycol. 2025 Apr 30;63(5):myaf036. | Link |
| Benschop K.S.M., Staines H., Mckloud E., McCulloch E., Montgomery D., Sutton G., Donoso Mantke O. and van Loon A. Performance Evaluation of Molecular Detection of Enteroviruses: Results of 18 Years of Quality Control for Molecular Diagnostics (QCMD) External Quality Assessment Program, 2005−2022. Journal of Medical Virology, (2024) 96: e70103. | Link |
| E.J. Gore, L. Gard, P. Bourgeois, D. Kulifaj, E. McCulloch, P.G. Spezia, H.G.M. Niesters, F. Maggi, G. Bond, C. Van Leer-Buter. Validation, implementation and quality control of a Torque Teno Virus qPCR in a multinational clinical trial. Journal of Clinical Virology, Volume 175, December 2024. | Link |
| Ehmann R, Donoso Mantke O, McCulloch E, Yousef A, Ricketts A, Staines H, Bugert JJ, Wölfel R, Niesters HGM. International external quality assessment study for detection of monkeypox virus by PCR supporting laboratory preparedness during the 2022-2023 mpox outbreak and beyond. J Clin Virol. 2024 Oct 21;175:105741. | Link |
| Donoso Mantke O, Corman VM, Taddei F, McCulloch E, Niemeyer D, Grumiro L, Dirani G, Wallace PS, Drosten C, Sambri V, Niesters HGM. Importance of external quality assessment for SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Clin Virol. 2022 Sep;154:105222. | Link |
| Mikaty G, Matheus S, Donoso Mantke O, McCulloch E, Zeichhardt H, Manuguerra JC; MediLabSecure. Evaluation of the diagnostic capacities for emerging arboviral diseases in the international network MediLabSecure from 2014 to 2018 - Importance of external quality assessments. J Infect Public Health. 2022 Feb;15(2):203-209. | Link |
| Wallace P, McCulloch E. Quality Assurance in the Clinical Virology Laboratory. In: Bamford, D.H. and Zuckerman, M. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Virology. 2021:64–81. Oxford: Academic Press. | Link |
| Rombach M, Hin S, Specht M, Johannsen B, Lüddecke J, Paust N, Zengerle R, Roux L, Sutcliffe T, Peham JR, Herz C, Panning M, Donoso Mantke O, Mitsakakis K. RespiDisk: a point-of-care platform for fully automated detection of respiratory tract infection pathogens in clinical samples. Analyst. 2020 Oct 26;145(21):7040-7047. | Link |
| Matheeussen V , Corman VM , Donoso Mantke O , McCulloch E , Lammens C , Goossens H , Niemeyer D , Wallace PS , Klapper P , Niesters HG , Drosten C , Ieven M ; RECOVER project and collaborating networks. 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. | Link |
| Matheeussen V, Loens K, Scott C, Di Lorenzo C, McCulloch E, Donoso Mantke O, Goossens H, Wallace P, Ieven M. Quality of molecular detection of vancomycin resistance in enterococci: results of 6 consecutive years of Quality Control for Molecular Diagnostics (QCMD) external quality assessment. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2019 Sep; 38 (9), 1633-41. | Link |
| Baylis SA, Wallace P, McCulloch E, Niesters HGM, Nübling CM. Standardization of Nucleic Acid Tests: the Approach of the World Health Organization. J Clin Microbiol. 2019 Jan 2;57(1):e01056-18. | Link |
| Donoso Mantke O, McCulloch E, Wallace PS, Yue C, Baylis SA, Niedrig M. External Quality Assessment (EQA) for Molecular Diagnostics of Zika Virus: Experiences from an International EQA Programme, 2016 - 2018. Viruses. 2018 Sep 13;10(9):491. | Link |
| Baylis SA, McCulloch E, Wallace P, Donoso Mantke O, Niedrig M, Blümel J, Yue C, Nübling CM. External Quality Assessment (EQA) of Molecular Detection of Zika Virus: Value of the 1st World Health Organization International Standard. J Clin Microbiol. 2018 Feb 22;56(3):e01997-17. | Link |
| Luijt D, Di Lorenzo C, van Loon AM, Unemo M. Most but not all laboratories can detect the recently emerged Neisseria gonorrhoeae porA mutants - results from the QCMD 2013 N. gonorrhoeae external quality assessment programme. Euro Surveill. 2014 Feb 27;19(8): 20711. | Link |
| Wallace PS, MacKay WG. Quality in the molecular microbiology laboratory. Methods Mol Biol. 2013;943:49-79. | Link |
| Loens K, van Loon AM, Coenjaerts F, van Aarle Y, Goossens H, Wallace P, Claas EJ, Ieven M; GRACE Study Group. Performance of different mono- and multiplex nucleic acid amplification tests on a multipathogen external quality assessment panel. J Clin Microbiol. 2012 Mar;50(3):977-87. | Link |
| Linke S, MacKay WG, Scott C, Wallace P, Niedrig M. Second external quality assessment of the molecular diagnostic of West Nile virus: Are there improvements towards the detection of WNV? J Clin Virol. 2011 Nov;52(3):257-60. | Link |
| Loens K, MacKay WG, Scott C, Goossens H, Wallace P, Ieven M. A multicenter pilot external quality assessment programme to assess the quality of molecular detection of Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. J Microbiol Methods. 2010 Aug;82(2):131-5. | Link |
| te Witt R, van Belkum A, MacKay WG, Wallace PS, van Leeuwen WB. External quality assessment of the molecular diagnostics and genotyping of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2010 Mar;29(3):295-300. | Link |
| De Pagter PJ, Schuurman R, de Vos NM, Mackay W, van Loon AM. Multicenter external quality assessment of molecular methods for detection of human herpesvirus 6. J Clin Microbiol. 2010 Jul;48(7):2536-40. | Link |
| Staines HJ, Garcia-Fernandez L, Pogothata R, Wallace PS, MacKay WG, van Loon AM. Monitoring performance of nucleic acid-based diagnostic measurement system users by EQA. Accred Qual Assur 14, 243–252 (2009). | Link |
| De Vries JJ, Claas EC, Kroes AC, Vossen AC. Evaluation of DNA extraction methods for dried blood spots in the diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus infection. J Clin Virol. 2009 Dec;46 Suppl 4:S37-42. | Link |
| Pandit A, MacKay WG, Steel C, van Loon AM, Schuurman R. HIV-1 drug resistance genotyping quality assessment: results of the ENVA7 Genotyping Proficiency Programme. J Clin Virol. 2008 Dec;43(4):401-6. | Link |
| Meerhoff TJ, MacKay WG, Meijer A, Paget JW, Niesters HG, Kimpen JL, Schellevis F. The impact of laboratory characteristics on molecular detection of respiratory syncytial virus in a European multicentre quality control study. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2008 Dec;14(12):1173-6. | Link |
| MacKay WG, van Loon AM, Niedrig M, Meijer A, Lina B, Niesters HG. Molecular detection and typing of influenza viruses: are we ready for an influenza pandemic? J Clin Virol. 2008 Jun;42(2):194-7. | Link |
| Barbi M, MacKay WG, Binda S, van Loon AM. External quality assessment of CMV DNA detection on dried blood spots. BMC Microbiol. 2008 Jan 8;8:2. | Link |
| Van Belkum A, Niesters HG, MacKay WG, van Leeuwen WB. Quality control of direct molecular diagnostics of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Clin Microbiol. 2007 Aug;45(8):2698-700. | Link |
| Kaiser K, Van Loon AM, Pelloux H, Ferrandiz J, Picot S, Wallace P, Peyron F. Multicenter proficiency study for detection of Toxoplasma gondii in amniotic fluid by nucleic acid amplification methods. Clin Chim Acta. 2007 Jan;375(1-2):99-103. | Link |
| Templeton KE, Forde CB, Loon AM, Claas EC, Niesters HG, Wallace P, Carman WF. A multi-centre pilot proficiency programme to assess the quality of molecular detection of respiratory viruses. J Clin Virol. 2006 Jan;35(1):51-8. | Link |
| Noordhoek GT, Mulder S, Wallace P, van Loon AM. Multicentre quality control study for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical samples by nucleic amplification methods. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2004 Apr;10(4):295-301. | Link |
| Wallace PS. Linkage between the journal and Quality Control Molecular Diagnostics (QCMD). J Clin Virol. 2003 Aug;27(3):211-2. | Link |
| Verkooyen RP, Noordhoek GT, Klapper PE, Reid J, Schirm J, Cleator GM, Ieven M, Hoddevik G. Reliability of nucleic acid amplification methods for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in urine: results of the first international collaborative quality control study among 96 laboratories. J Clin Microbiol. 2003 Jul;41(7):3013-6. | Link |
| Schloss L, van Loon AM, Cinque P, Cleator G, Echevarria JM, Falk KI, Klapper P, Schirm J, Vestergaard BF, Niesters H, Popow-Kraupp T, Quint W, Linde A. An international external quality assessment of nucleic acid amplification of herpes simplex virus. J Clin Virol. 2003 Oct;28(2):175-85. | Link |
| Valentine-Thon E. Quality control in nucleic acid testing--where do we stand? J Clin Virol. 2002 Dec;25 Suppl 3:S13-21. | Link |
| Schirm J, van Loon AM, Valentine-Thon E, Klapper PE, Reid J, Cleator GM. External quality assessment program for qualitative and quantitative detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in diagnostic virology. J Clin Microbiol. 2002 Aug;40(8):2973-80. | Link |
| Niesters HG. Standardization and quality control in molecular diagnostics. Expert Rev Mol Diagn. 2001 Jul;1(2):129-31. | Link |
| Valentine-Thon E, van Loon AM, Schirm J, Reid J, Klapper PE, Cleator GM. European proficiency testing program for molecular detection and quantitation of hepatitis B virus DNA. J Clin Microbiol. 2001 Dec;39(12):4407-12. | Link |
| Van Vliet KE, Muir P, Echevarria JM, Klapper PE, Cleator GM, Van Loon AM. Multicenter proficiency testing of nucleic acid amplification methods for the detection of enteroviruses. J Clin Microbiol. 2001 Sep;39(9):3390-2. | Link |
| van Loon AM, Cleator GC, Ras A. External quality assessment of enterovirus detection and typing. European Union Concerted Action on Virus Meningitis and Encephalitis. Bull World Health Organ. 1999;77(3):217-23. | Link |
| Muir P, Ras A, Klapper PE, Cleator GM, Korn K, Aepinus C, Fomsgaard A, Palmer P, Samuelsson A, Tenorio A, Weissbrich B, van Loon AM. Multicenter quality assessment of PCR methods for detection of enteroviruses. J Clin Microbiol. 1999 May;37(5):1409-14. | Link |
| van Vliet KE, Glimåker M, Lebon P, Klapper PE, Taylor CE, Ciardi M, van der Avoort HG, Diepersloot RJ, Kurtz J, Peeters MF, Cleator GM, van Loon AM. Multicenter evaluation of the Amplicor Enterovirus PCR test with cerebrospinal fluid from patients with aseptic meningitis. The European Union Concerted Action on Viral Meningitis and Encephalitis. J Clin Microbiol. 1998 Sep;36(9):2652-7. | Link |
| Weber T, Klapper PE, Cleator GM, Bodemer M, Lüke W, Knowles W, Cinque P, Van Loon AM, Grandien M, Hammarin AL, Ciardi M, Bogdanovic G. Polymerase chain reaction for detection of JC virus DNA in cerebrospinal fluid: a quality control study. European Union Concerted Action on Viral Meningitis and Encephalitis. J Virol Methods. 1997 Dec;69(1-2):231-7. | Link |