Evaluation of Iranian microbiology laboratories for identification of etiologic agents of bacterial meningitidis. Survey results of an external quality assessment scheme (EQAS) programme.

Objective: To determine the ability of Iranian microbiology laboratories for identification and susceptibility testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae as causative agents of bacterial meningitides.

Methods: Two strains of bacteria including Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae as a common causative agents of meningitides were chosen and coded as strain number 1 and number 2. The strains were distributed among 679 microbiology laboratories.