title: Fungal contamination of Hanks solution.
abstract: Laboratory contamination of clinical specimens submitted for cytological examination is an on-going threat that requires continuous vigilance and quality control. We recently were confronted with a suspected fungal infection in a bone aspirate that was found to derive from contaminated Hanks solution used in cytological preparation. Diff-Quik staining of air-dried cytocentrifuged preparations of Hanks fluid as well as any other suspect laboratory fluid is recommended as a routine quality control procedure.
authors.affiliation: Histopathology Department, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead 2145, Australia. anthonyh@chw.edu.au
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Henwood
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000592:standards; D002648:Child; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000473:pathology; D005658:Fungi / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D007552:Isotonic Solutions; D008297:Male; D011786:Quality Control; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000592:standards; D013977:Tibia / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: C072670:Hanks Balanced Salt Solution; D007552:Isotonic Solutions