Analysis of the results of the SEIMC External Quality Control Programme. Year 2017

This article provides an analysis of the results obtained in 2017 by the participants inscribed in the External Quality Control Programme of the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC), which includes controls for bacteriology, serology, mycology, parasitology, mycobacteria, virology, molecular microbiology, and genotypic bacterial resistance. The results obtained in 2017 confirm the excellent skill and good technical standards found in previous editions. However, the programme again showed that erroneous results can be obtained in any laboratory and even in clinically relevant determinations. Once again, the results of this program highlight the need to implement both internal and external controls, as in the SEIMC programme. (C) 2020 Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. and Sociedad Espanola de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiologia Clinica. All rights reserved.