External quality assessment for the detection of Bordetella pertussis by PCR, 2018

Laboratory confirmation of pertussis is integral to surveillance, especially to monitor the effectiveness of vaccination strategies and inform any changes to national policies. This report presents the results of the second European Pertussis Laboratory Surveillance Network (EUPert-LabNet) EQA scheme for Bordetella pertussis PCR funded by ECDC on behalf of EUPert-LabNet. The EQA study was conducted between February and March 2018.