Cryostat decontamination references:

College of American Pathologists, Commentary on certification questionaire:
1) Decontaminate regularly with 70% alcohol.
2) Defrost, remove trimmings and decontaminate with a tuberculocidal 
disinfectant, preferably weekly for instruments used daily
3) Reference: National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS), 
Protection of Laboratory Workers from Instrument Biohazards and Infectious 
Disease Transmitted by Blood, body Fluids, and Tissue; Approved Guideline 
M29-A. Wayne, PA, NCCLS, 1997

CAP site: http://www.cap.org/HTML/checklist_html/cklst08p.html

NCCLS site: http://www.nccls.org/
Seach for "instrument biohazards" and you will get a list of publications 
that address various hazards.


Decontamination for HIV
Frozen Section Technique for Tissues Infected by the AIDS Virus, Swisher, 
B.L., Ewing, E.P., J Histotechnol, Vol.9, No.1, p.29 (March 1986)
Recommends 95% ETOH (other publications referenced here indicate 95% alcohol 
is effective against HIV).

Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Safe Working and the 
Prevention of Infection in Clinical Laboratories, Health Services Advisory 
Committee.
Recommends formalin fuming for 24-48 hours at room temperature. Followed by 
ammonia for one hour (presumably as a neutralizer).

Laboratory Histopathology: A Complete Reference, Woods and Ellis, Churchill 
Livingstone, 1994.
Recommends defrosting , washing with 70% alcohol, complete cleaning.

For those who like to read a lot:
APIC Guideline for Selection and Use of Disinfectants, Association for 
Professionals in Infection Control (APIC), American Journal of Infection 
Control, Vol 24(4), August 1996, 313-342. A good review of all disinfectants 
in use and the pros and cons of each.

Tim Morken, B.A., EMT(MSA), HTL(ASCP)
Infectious Disease Pathology
Centers for Disease Control
MS-G32
1600 Clifton Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30333
USA

email: tim9@cdc.gov
       timcdc@hotmail.com

Phone: (404) 639-3964
FAX:  (404)639-3043










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