Results of microscopic examinations and blood slide re-examinations of malaria elimination evaluation in ten prefectures of Yunnan Province / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To understand the laboratory technicians’ abilities in blood slide making and reading in 10 prefectures of Yunnan Province which have passed the provincial malaria elimination evaluation, so as to provide the evidence for improving the malaria elimination surveillance and parasite examination. Methods Thirty negative blood slides were randomly sampled to evaluate coating, dyeing and clean quality and reading results, and 4 laboratory technicians were sampled to evaluate their reading abilities from each prefecture level and its 2 subordinate counties (districts) respectively, and then the results were analyzed. Results A total of 869 negative blood samples were evaluated. The coincidence rate was 100%. The proportions of good coating, dyeing and clean quality were 96.09%, 91.71% and 96.89%, respectively. Totally 576 blood slides were used to evaluate the reading ability. The number of correct reading was 505, and the correct rate was 87.67%. Among them, the Plasmodium vivax correct reading rate was 87.76%, the P. falciparum correct reading rate was 87.50%, and the correct reading rate of mixed infections was 47.62%. The laboratory technicians’ ability to the mixed infections was significantly lower than the ability to the others (χ2 = 37.169, P < 0.05), however, in the laboratory technicians’ abilities, there was no significant difference among the center (s) for disease control and prevention, general hospitals and township hospitals (χ2 = 2.782, P > 0.05), and the prefecture, county and township levels (χ2 = 0.358, P > 0.05) . Conclusion The 10 prefectures have passed the provincial evaluation in blood slide making and microscopic examination skill indicators requested, but the medical and public health institutions at all levels still should further improve their laboratory technicians’ abilities in blood slide making and microscopic examination skills.