Introduction: This article describes the course and results of the 26th edition of the Polish National External Quality Assessment Scheme in Microbiology (POLMICRO).
Aim: The aim is to assess the credibility of diagnostics conducted by microbiological laboratories in Poland, as well as the results and organization of the POLMICRO/ MIKOLOGIA (MYCOLOGY) and POLMICRO/SSE programs.
Material and methods: The POLMICRO 2019 edition, according to the schedule, consisted of six rounds: five practical rounds and one theoretical round of an educational nature.
The number of POLMICRO 2019 participants varied, depending on the round, from 430 to 438. In total, 443 laboratories took part in the program. The most (n = 438) laboratories took part in round I, and the least (n = 430) in round VI.
Results: The shape and color of all test objects in the round devoted to microscopic preparations (4th round of POLMICRO 2019) were correctly assessed by 97.0% of laboratories (n = 419).
Gram-negative rod strains belonging to the species Escherichia coli (PM-366, PM-367) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (PM-368, PM-369), from infection of the blood bed without a palpable site of infection, which were the subjects of the second round of POLMICRO 2019 studies, all participants correctly identified (100%; n = 433).
While in the case of the MBL (metallo-β-lactamase) mechanism all participants (n = 439) correctly interpreted the presented picture, in the case of ESBL (β-lactamase with an extended substrate spectrum), seven laboratories (1.6%) misinterpreted the attached photos of phenotypic tests.
Conclusions: In 2019, the Central Center for Quality Research in Microbiological Diagnostics, as previously planned, expanded its activity in the field of POLMICRO external laboratory control to include programs for mycological diagnostics (POLMICRO/ MIKOLOGIA) and diagnostics of etiological factors of gastrointestinal infections (POLMICRO/ SSE). Both the plan and the educational goals of the program have been achieved.