Precautionary aspects of Sample Handling in Histopathology & Cytopathology during the pandemic outbreak: COVID 19

The current Pandemic situation has brought a change in the world forever. Starting from Human lifestyles to Treatment protocol. Histopathology & Cytopathology sample handling Protocols are also changing. In the “ Journal of Histotechnology “, the Article, “ Coronavirus disinfection in histopathology” by Anthony F. Henwood has put a lot of emphasis on the sample handling procedures for all Health care professionals. The Guidelines for Precautions to ensure maximum protection while handling specimens received in the laboratory is a combination of OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens guidelines and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. 

Some of the salient points of these guidelines are the following:

• All samples are considered to be potentially infectious.
• SARS and MERS virus can persist on inanimate surfaces like metal, glass, or plastic for up to 9 days, but can be efficiently inactivated by surface disinfection procedures with 70% ethanol, 0.5% hydrogen peroxide, or 0.1% sodium hypochlorite within 1 min.
• Exposure of UV Light for 60 minutes on Coronavirus culture produces undetectable levels of viral infectivity.
• Formalin is a potent disinfectant. Use of Formalin & Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded ( FFPE) Tissues are safe enough with very low risk of infectivity.
• Routine laboratory practices and procedures for decontamination of work surfaces and management of laboratory waste should be followed.
• Handling & Grossing of nCOV-2 infected specimens should be carried out in BSL-2 Standard laboratory setup.

Use automated instruments and analyzers for Sample Receiving, Grossing & Tissue processing.

• All these procedures should be done by trained, professional medical personnel by using appropriate PPE. 
• The procedures are performed in a laboratory room with a controlled ventilation system that maintains inward directional airflow, and a dedicated hand wash sink must be available in the laboratory.
• Frozen section should be performed in a dedicated Rotary frozen microtome and after a procedure, it should be disinfected with in-built UV lamp for more than 30 minutes.
• Fixative of Cytology samples should consist of 70- 100% Ethyl alcohol instead of Methyl alcohol though there is a possibility of morphology impairment.
• Separate storage and grossing spaces should be used for COVID-19 positive samples with the facility of proper sanitation & waste handling.

We at DSS,  have an extensive range of Automated Instruments to maintain these specified Guidelines.

1. We can recommend UltraSAFE, TissueSAFE or SealSAFE for vacuum sealing of specimens with or without Formalin at OT & Receiving Desk of the Laboratory.
2. Our eGROSS pro-x Range of Grossing Stations are equipped with World’s best Ventilation System with minimal Formalin exposure.
3. MacroPATH pro-x Camera System with LOOX has the feature of Documenting the entire Grossing process in a unique contactless manner.
4. Rapid & Hybrid Tissue processor LOGOS can compensate for the time lag that occurred during Extra Fixation hours.

So we have an impressive range of Products which can be marketed uniquely to create Customer awareness.