Freshwater microorganisms and other arthropods in Papanicolaou smears

Several types of contaminants have been reported in cytopathology. The purpose of this study was to show unusual contaminants in cytological smears, such as freshwater microorganisms and other arthropods. In different routine Papanicolaou smears (sputum, cervicovaginal, and voided urine) we mainly found fragments of mites and insects, caused by an intrinsic contamination of the samples or an extrinsic contamination of the smears.