If you are going to rely on filtering to prevent contamination, a word of caution. 
Be reminded that acid fast bacilli, specifically the mycobacteria may be a small as 0.5 - 1.0 micron in diameter. This is why healthcare providers are given HEPA filter masks to protect themselves from patients who may have TB. Laboratory filter paper will have to be of the correct porosity to remove contaminants of such small size. I'm skeptical that liquids will readily filter through paper that can eliminate 0.5 micron particles.


Vinnie Della Speranza
Manager for Anatomic Pathology Services
Medical University of South Carolina
165 Ashley Avenue  Suite 309
Charleston, SC 29425
Ph: 843-792-6353
fax: 843-792-8974

>>> Jenny Oblander  01/03/02 04:23PM >>>
 Have you been filtering your carbol fuchsin before using it? Jenny

-----Original Message-----
From: Aidan Schurr [mailto:Aidan.Schurr@hvh.co.nz] 
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2002 1:30 PM
To: Ngilman@nbhd.org; histonet@pathology.swmed.edu 
Subject: Re: AFB's


My guess would be that you're getting contaminants (bacterial or otherwise)
from your water baths...

Just my two cents worth.

Aidan


__

aidan schurr  b.m.l.sc
section head, histology
hutt valley district health board
lower hutt
new zealand

aidan.schurr@hvh.co.nz 
++64 4 570 9173

>>> Noreen Gilman  4/01/2002 >>>
Hello everyone in histoland.  I've got an unusual problem and I hope you
guys can help me.
My pathologist claims that when we do an AFB, some of the bacillus from the
positive control "jumps" onto the patient slide and contaminates it. He
claims he sees stray bacillus on the slides surrounding the control tissue,
and he thinks he see them on the patient slide as well. I have tried several
ways of doing this stain and at first thought the tubing on our sink was
contaminated. We changed the tubing and used only distilled water, and he
still insists they are there.  I have never had a problem like this before.
I'm at my wits end. Any suggestion are very welcome.
Noreen

Noreen S. Gilman, HT (ASCP) CLS
Broward General Medical Center
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 3316
954-355-5592 Phone
954-355-4139 Fax
ngilman@nbhd.org