A worm in the cytology laboratory: A root cause analysis case study

Siba El Hussein; Dominick Guerrero; Stefano Rozental; Louis M. Weiss; Shweta Gera; Mark Suhrland; Alaeddin Fatyan; Samer N. Khader

doi:10.1002/dc.24256

A worm in the cytology laboratory: A root cause analysis case study

Siba El Hussein, Dominick Guerrero, Stefano Rozental, Louis M. Weiss, Shweta Gera, Mark Suhrland, Alaeddin Fatyan, Samer N. Khader

Pathology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

In the spring of 2018, nematode-like organisms were first noted at the time of microscopic diagnosis on gynecologic (GYN) and anal pap specimens in our institution's cytopathology department. Due to their morphology and specimen source, we considered a diagnosis of pinworm. However, after identifying at least 30 more cases over 3 months from patients living in variable locations, we started favoring a contaminant. This report studies the steps that were initiated to figure the source of pap smear-preparation contamination and the molecular investigation to identify the nature of the contaminant.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1063-1066
Number of pages	4
Journal	Diagnostic Cytopathology
Volume	47
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/dc.24256
State	Published - Oct 1 2019

Keywords

anal papanicolau smears
contaminant
gynecologic papanicolau smears
worm

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Histology

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10.1002/dc.24256

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title = "A worm in the cytology laboratory: A root cause analysis case study",

abstract = "In the spring of 2018, nematode-like organisms were first noted at the time of microscopic diagnosis on gynecologic (GYN) and anal pap specimens in our institution's cytopathology department. Due to their morphology and specimen source, we considered a diagnosis of pinworm. However, after identifying at least 30 more cases over 3 months from patients living in variable locations, we started favoring a contaminant. This report studies the steps that were initiated to figure the source of pap smear-preparation contamination and the molecular investigation to identify the nature of the contaminant.",

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AU - El Hussein, Siba

AU - Guerrero, Dominick

AU - Rozental, Stefano

AU - Weiss, Louis M.

AU - Gera, Shweta

AU - Suhrland, Mark

AU - Fatyan, Alaeddin

AU - Khader, Samer N.

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AB - In the spring of 2018, nematode-like organisms were first noted at the time of microscopic diagnosis on gynecologic (GYN) and anal pap specimens in our institution's cytopathology department. Due to their morphology and specimen source, we considered a diagnosis of pinworm. However, after identifying at least 30 more cases over 3 months from patients living in variable locations, we started favoring a contaminant. This report studies the steps that were initiated to figure the source of pap smear-preparation contamination and the molecular investigation to identify the nature of the contaminant.

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KW - contaminant

KW - gynecologic papanicolau smears

KW - worm

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A worm in the cytology laboratory: A root cause analysis case study

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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