Step 8

The laboratories enrolled in an external quality assurance scheme and participated in a global proficiency test. All panels were procured by WHO. The Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Melbourne, Australia provided serology panels, which comprised of 20 measles and rubella IgM positive and negative sera. Results were reported to the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory website within 14 days of receipt of the panel. The Viral Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch, CDC, Atlanta, USA, provided five spotted cards as a molecular panel. Laboratories submitted the results in CDC’s reporting format within six weeks of panel receipt. The laboratories submitted the sequences to MeaNS/RubeNS proficiency test panel portal for review.