Development of the HLA proficiency testing for Central and East Europe.

In order to increase the reliability of histocompatibility testing, several external proficiency testing (EPT) schemes have been established within Europe. All the laboratories trying to obtain European Federation for Immunogenetics (EFI) accreditation are obliged to take part in standardization trials for human leucocyte antigen (HLA) typing and to participate in EPT programme(s) to cover all techniques in use for accredited activities. We started our activity in 1999. At that time, the Quality Control Workshop was run for Polish laboratories involved in HLA typing. A year later, our activity was expanded to the Central East European area. As a result, the third national workshop was combined with the Proficiency Testing of HLA Class I Typing for Central and East Europe. In total, until year 2005, 38 institutions from 14 countries have participated in our workshop. During that period the results of HLA class I A, B and C locus typing by serology and at the DNA low resolution level were expected. To meet the further requirements of participating laboratories starting with year 2006 and the XI trial of the workshop we plan to increase the number of HLA loci to be tested (HLA class II DRB1 and DQB1) and include also high resolution typing. Our EPT is organized under the auspices of the Polish Society for Immunogenetics (PSI) and all laboratories within Poland involved in HLA typing for donor selection within Poltransplant and seeking the PSI accreditation are obliged to participate in our workshop.