Fungal fruiting heads in Papanicolaou smears as evidence of spatula contamination
Rupp, M.; McCullough, L.; Buchen, D.
Acta Cytologica 36(2): 269-270
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-5547 PMID: 1311890 Document Number: 390684
Fungal fruiting head structures were detected in routine Papanicolaou smears from 2 patients, both apparently due to contamination of collecting devices by Penicillium sp. Both specimens were collected within a 2-month period by the same physician using wooden spatulas. The patients were asymptomatic and neither had clinical evidence of infection either before or after the smears were taken. The remaining stock of spatulas was cultured for fungal recovery and yielded growth of Penicillium sp. The fruiting heads were identical to those seen on the Papanicolaou smears.