Dear Noreen,    We also have a pathologist who talked about "jumping 
bacilli."  We changed our staining procedure and now perform our AFBs the 
same way Andi described: we stain the slides flat, wash them individually, 
and always use fresh dye--filtering only the amount we need just before 
staining.  Not one single complaint since we changed!

Barbara

USDA, FSIS, OPHS, Eastern Laboratory, Pathology
RRC, 950 College Station Road
Athens, Georgia 30604
phone: (706) 546-3556
fax: (706) 546-3589



>From: Andrea Grantham To: Noreen Gilman , histonet@pathology.swmed.edu 
>Subject: Re: AFB's/ruling out jumping bacilli Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2002 
>14:08:59 -0700
>
>Noreen, I had a pathologist who drove me nuts with the same idea. Instead 
>of staining in a coplin jar I laid the slides down on a staining rack and 
>stained them flat so that the stains or wash fluids were used only for one 
>slide. Also use fresh stains. This way those nasty bacteria can not jump 
>from slide to slide, or they can't be swimming around in the coplin jars 
>getting ready to jump on any unsuspecting patient tissue. Andi
>
>
>
>At 01:49 PM 1/3/02 -0500, you wrote:
>>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
>
>..................................................................... : 
>Andrea Grantham, HT(ASCP) Dept. of Cell Biology & Anatomy : : Sr. Research 
>Specialist University of Arizona : : (office: AHSC 4212) P.O. Box 245044 : 
>: (voice: 520-626-4415) Tucson, AZ 85724-5044 USA : : (FAX: 520-626-2097) 
>(email: algranth@u.arizona.edu) : 
>:...................................................................: 
>http://www.cba.arizona.edu/histology-lab.html
>
>

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