[Histonet] CJD DECONTAMINATION PROCEDURE

[Connie McManus]

I don't deal with CJD, but I do a lot of CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease)
and Scrapie, which are prion diseases in dear/elk and sheep
(respectively).  CWD and Scrapie had been associated with humans for
hundreds of years with no known transmission of the disease from animal
to human. HOWEVER, since prions are not neutralized by fixation of any
kind, not killed by autoclaving, this makes them a biohazard in
processed tissues.  

If I worked with CJD, I would ...
1  set up a place that is completely separate from the rest of the lab.
Barrier off a section of your lab, use another room (preferable)

2 use disposable bunny suits, shoe covers, face masks, eye wear and
DOUBLE GLOVE 
3  put stickie mats on the floor completely surrounding the cutting
area,

4   put ALL paraffin shavings in a biohaz bag, 

5  use paper towels to clean off the microtome and throw those in the
biohaz bag

6. incinerate the bunny suit, goggles, gloves, face maskes, etc with the
paraffin shavings.

7.  Ask for a really big pay raise.  Claim it's hazard pay.

Have fun.
Connie McManus
Utah Veterinary Diagnostics Laboratory
Utah State University
Logan, UT
Phone:  435/797-1891
fax: 435/797-2805


-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of
srishan <@t> mail.holyname.org
Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2004 9:59 AM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] CJD DECONTAMINATION PROCEDURE





Hello everyone,

This question might have been posted before, but,   Histology Department
is
expecting a brain biopsy from a possible CJD patient today.  The
specimen
will be coming down in formalin from the O.R.  It will be kept in
formalin
for 2-7 days and will be transferred to formic acid for the required
time.
Then the specimen will be transferred to formalin before processing for
another 2 days.  Has anyone dealt with this procedure before. These are
the
questions asked by the hstology department.

How do you decontaminate the processor, microtome, stainer and
coverslipper?
What kind of protective gear apart from standard precaution has to be
used?
How about the shaving of the tissues?
How do you dispose the formalin  from the original formalin container
where
the specimen was sent in and how do you dispose the reagents from the
processor and the stainer?
Can this biopsy be processed, once treated with formic acid, along with
the
other specimens or  should the biopsy be processed with the other
specimens?

Need Help!!

Thank you in advance

Mala Srishan
Histology Supervisor
Holy Name Hospital
Teaneck, NJ 07666


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