[Laboratory network for the microscopic diagnosis of tuberculosis in Madagascar: quality control of slides].

As part of the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP), a quality control of the slides (search of acido-fast bacilli in the sputa) of the Treatment and Diagnosis Centers (TDC) forming the National Laboratory Network is carried out each year. In 1999, 76 TDC out of the 174 (44%) had been controlled using the method of double reading of the smears. The global concordance of the results in the 76 TDC is satisfactory (98%). Reability was 91% for the positive smears and 92% for the negative smears. A good quality of smears was observed in 53% of the centers. The TDC reliable at 100% for both positive and negative smears were 51 (67%) of which 36 (47%) had also a good quality of smears. Those later were mainly found in Toamasina, Fianarantsoa, Antananarivo and Mahajanga.