When packaging the swabs for IDENTIGENE‘s DNA test kit, I accidentally brushed the side of my thumb against one of the swabs. What I want to know is would this somehow cause a mixed DNA profile, one that would not match the alleged father and therefore result in a false negative?
This is a fairly common question, and the answer is simple: The paternity test lab can easily detect when one swab contains more than one person’s DNA profile (we call this a ‘mixed profile,” meaning that DNA from two or more persons were ‘mixed’ on one swab sample). But rest assured, a mixed profile would not cause an incorrect paternity test result; instead, the lab would quickly identify it and we would send you a new set of swabs and ask you to collect the DNA sample(s) again.
It is possible (though unlikely) that accidentally brushing your finger on a dry swab (such as when putting the swabs into the specimen envelope) would generate a mixed profile. For this reason, it’s extremely important to be cautious when handling the swabs for collection or shipping. But, unless the contact with the swab was more of a ‘hard scrape’ than an ‘accidental brush,’ it probably would not capture enough DNA to significantly contaminate the swab and cause a mixed profile. If it did, the lab would again easily identify the problem and request a new collection; if not, the right samples from the right people will be extracted and tested and the paternity test result will be accurate.
If you ever have questions on submitting your samples or about possible contamination, IDENTIGENE DNA paternity test support team is here to help. Call them at 888-404-4363 during business hours. For quick answers to more questions, visit our Help Center.
