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biopsy specimen risk???
Dear doctor:
I am a technician in anatomical pathology lab. My colleagues have two longtime questions:
The biopsy specimens (ex. skin, bowel) in our lab are fixed in formalin. Occasionally, some of the fluid would splash and contact our face when we take out and handle the specimen by forceps.
1. How long would it take for HIV to decay in biopsy specimen in formalin?
2. Is there any risk of infection if the fluid contact my eye? I am afraid that some of the body fluid content ( mixed in formalin) would also contact my eye.
p.s the formalin fixation time is generally no less than twenty minutes before processing.
Thank you very very much~
I am a technician in anatomical pathology lab. My colleagues have two longtime questions:
The biopsy specimens (ex. skin, bowel) in our lab are fixed in formalin. Occasionally, some of the fluid would splash and contact our face when we take out and handle the specimen by forceps.
1. How long would it take for HIV to decay in biopsy specimen in formalin?
2. Is there any risk of infection if the fluid contact my eye? I am afraid that some of the body fluid content ( mixed in formalin) would also contact my eye.
p.s the formalin fixation time is generally no less than twenty minutes before processing.
Thank you very very much~
Best Answer
2. In order to infect, HIV must be inside a living host. Hence there term, HUMAN Immunodeficiency Virus. Once mixed in with that formalin, it's not going to infect you.
Thanks again.
2. Everytime when our faces are contacted by small formalin droplets we become quite nervous, especially when we subsequently know one of the biopsy specimen is HIV-positive. Hence, we want to know the actual risk in such a scenario.
2. Everytime when our faces are contacted by small formalin droplets we become quite nervous, especially when we subsequently know one of the biopsy specimen is HIV-positive. Hence, we want to know the actual risk in such a scenario.
1, That's honestly a good question and I haven't put much thought into it. I don't have the answer right now, but i'll see what I can find.
2. I'm curious as to what scenario you are talking about right here?
3. In order to infect, HIV must never leave of the confines of two bodies, or be exposed to air. Formalin in not a host for HIV, so once they meet, HIV cannot infect.
2. I'm curious as to what scenario you are talking about right here?
3. In order to infect, HIV must never leave of the confines of two bodies, or be exposed to air. Formalin in not a host for HIV, so once they meet, HIV cannot infect.
Plus, if the biopsy specimen-containing formalin contact our eye, should we inform the autohrities just as needlestick injury?
Thanks JamesD1991
Because our lab guideline did not mention this kind of risk, we want to find out a definite answer to relieve the psychological stress:
1. Our supervisor said that formalin inactivated free HIV in 10~30 minutes. We have tried to search for how long would cell-associated HIV (i.e. not free virus) take to be inactivated in formalin (4% in our lab). However, we cannot find related report about it. Is there any data?
2. We read that mucosal contact by HIV-positive body fluid actually causes 0.09% infection rate in previous report. However, we think it is impossible that the spilling/ splashing formalin contains body fluid from 3-mm specimens. Is it right?
3. In all, is there HIV risk in the formalin splashing from small biopsy specimen?
Thanks!!
Because our lab guideline did not mention this kind of risk, we want to find out a definite answer to relieve the psychological stress:
1. Our supervisor said that formalin inactivated free HIV in 10~30 minutes. We have tried to search for how long would cell-associated HIV (i.e. not free virus) take to be inactivated in formalin (4% in our lab). However, we cannot find related report about it. Is there any data?
2. We read that mucosal contact by HIV-positive body fluid actually causes 0.09% infection rate in previous report. However, we think it is impossible that the spilling/ splashing formalin contains body fluid from 3-mm specimens. Is it right?
3. In all, is there HIV risk in the formalin splashing from small biopsy specimen?
Thanks!!
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2. I suppose it's a theoretical, but not real life possibility. You would need a ton of blood to be poured into your eye to maybe have an issue.