Luminol for Infection Control

In the May 23rd issue of Reuters Health is an article about how Dutch researchers are using Luminol, a bioluminescent chemical, to detect blood contamination in kidney dialysis units. Units that were just cleaned and appeared to be free of contamination still showed traces of blood on numerous surfaces, including control panels, telephones and floors, when tested with Luminol. This is a great teaching tool for discussions about proper laboratory disinfection and infection control.