Hospital infection surveillance and multiresistance monitoring: role of an external quality control

The "Relais Régional d'Hygiène Hospitalière du Centre" (RHC) promotes the hospital infection prevention at a regional level in France, including 80 healthcare institutions. The accuracy of antimicrobial susceptibility data submitted by laboratories to surveillance is essential. Since 2001, RHC imposed an external quality control to validate the accuracy of the data submitted by the laboratories that are involved in survey programs. Most laboratories are able to detect homogenous methicillin resistance in S. aureus, and high-level vancomycin resistance in E. faecalis. Nevertheless, the ability of laboratories to detect organisms with emerging antimicrobial resistance patterns is not optimal for (i) detection of heterogeneous methicillin resistance, (ii) reduced susceptibility to teicoplanin in a non-multiresistant S. aureus and (iii) detection of resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins. Educational program to optimize the testing methods has been programmed and perennially of quality control testing prior to accepting data from laboratory participating in surveillance system is decided.