I don't think the HIV virus itself would be a problem since the cold of the
cryostat would kill it very quickly.
Chuck

-----Original Message-----
From: mward@wfubmc.edu [mailto:mward@wfubmc.edu]
Sent: Monday, April 22, 2002 2:34 PM
To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
Subject: HIV + frozen sections


Martha Ward writes:

This question is for folks who are doing direct immunofluorescence on
renal biopsies.  How do you handle decontamintion of the cryostat after
cutting a known HIV + patient?  Our current procedure is to break down
the cryostat, wipe down with alcohol, emerse the microtome in 100%
alcohol, soak for 1 hour, allow it to dry overnight in a 40 C incubator
and put everything back to together the next day.  Is there a better way
of doing this, or is this the way most people handle this?  This
question would also be for routine maintenance of the cryostat, not just
when we get known infectious sample.