CYTOLOGY, VIRAL INCLUSION IDENTIFICATION

AP45

TZANCK SMEAR

Label specimen with patient's full name (first and last), medical record number, name of requesting physician, and date and source of specimen.Direct scraping of the lesion: 1. Prepare 3 slides (1 spray-fixed or fixed in 95% ethanol, 1 air-dried, and 1 formalin-fixed). 2. Label in pencil the frosted end of the slide with the patient's full name, medical record number, source and whether it is an air-dried or spray-fixed smear. 3. Moisten lesion with normal sterile saline. 4. Scrape the sides and edges of the lesion (not directly in the center) with a tongue depressor. (Do not use a cotton tipped swab) 5. Spread cellular material on a glass slide. Do not rub or apply excessive pressure when smearing. 6. Immediately fix 1 slide in 95% ethanol or spray-fix. 7. repeat steps 2-5 8. Allow the second slide to air-dry (do not use fixative). 9. Repeat steps 2-5. 10. Immediately fix slide in formalin. 11. Label the specimen appropriately (patient's full name, medical record number and source). NOTE: 1. Cellular distortion or smearing artifact due to excessive pressure applied when smearing the specimen can limit cytologic interpretation. 2. When using spray fixative (Spray-Cyte), hold the container 6-8inches from the slide. Spraying too close or too far will result in cellular artifacts that compromise cytologic interpretation. 3. For "RUSH" after-hours cases, the air dried slide can be stained with Wright-Giemsa by the clinical lab and evaluated by the house staff or attending physician or pathologist on call. Final results and sign-out will be given the next workday.

Set Up:Monday - Friday Report Available:1-2 days

Useful for the identification of the presence of viral inclusion bodies and/or cytopathic viral changes.