Table 1 Characteristics of external quality assessment panels shipped to participants by distribution
Distribution | Lyophilized blood | Dried blood spots | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of samples | Parasite density (parasites/µL) | Number of samples | Parasite density (parasites/µL) | |
Distribution 1—January 2017 | ||||
 Negative | 2 | – | 2 | – |
 P. falciparum | 0 | – | 3 | 0.05; 0.2; 2.0 |
 P. vivax | 2 | 0.018; 0.18 | 0 | – |
 P. knowlesi | 1 | 10 | 0 | – |
 P. malariae | 0 | – | 0 | – |
Distribution 2—July 2017 |  | |||
 Negative | 1 | – | 2 | – |
 P. falciparum | 2 | 0.1; 1.0 | 0 | – |
 P. vivax | 1 | 0.018 | 0 | – |
 P. knowlesi | 1 | 1.0 | 3 | 2.0; 2.0; 20 |
 P. malariae | 0 | – | 0 | – |
Distribution 3—January 2018 | ||||
 Negative | 1 | – | 1 | – |
 P. falciparum | 2 | 20; 200 | 0 | – |
 P. vivax | 1 | 46.5 | 1 | 400 |
 P. knowlesi | 0 | – | 0 | – |
 P. malariae | 1 | 125 | 3 | 125; 400; 800 |