paternity testing Archives - Page 18 of 19

Is DNA Testing an Accurate Way to Answer Paternity Questions?

by HOMEDNA on 01/19/2011

DNA testing has been used in to determine biological relationships in the United States for awhile now. We use DNA Paternity testing, and other DNA relationship tests to answer questions for uncertainties, or for those who believe they found long lost family members. DNA science technology has given us answers to questions we would not have been able to imagine could be answered several years ago.

Paternity testing in other parts of the world

Emirates 24/7 shows us another viewpoint on the topic. Professors of Ilsamic Shariah law state “DNA analysis is not the accurate method to determine a person’s lineage.” Dr. Ahmad Abdul Aziz Al Haddad of Iftaa’ Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department of Dubai, and Dr Abdul Ha’aq Humaish, professor of Islamic Sharaiah Law of Sharjah University refuse to rely on DNA testing in paternity cases. A family court judge, Khalid Al Hawsani, considers paternity testing as a presumption and not evidence of paternity. You can read more about this on Emirates 24/7.

Is DNA testing an accurate way to answer paternity questions?

Every community must decide for themselves how to interpret and apply genetic information. While the U.S. has accepted DNA Paternity Testing as standard evidence in family law and criminal cases, we still have questions about other kinds of genetic information: how do we develop DNA testing for medical diagnosis? Should we use genetic information for health insurance? How about a DNA test that determines your diet and exercise program? Judges of Shariah Law are defining how they will accept and use paternity test information. Meanwhile in the US, you can pick up the IDENTIGENE home paternity test kit at your local retailer or online, which is something that was unheard of just six years ago. One thing is certain: genetic testing is changing the way we think about the world.

Using Buccal Swabs vs. Blood Samples for Paternity Testing

by HOMEDNA on 12/27/2010

DNA testing for paternity results has many benefits, from the peace of mind of knowing for certain that a biological relationship exists to knowing family health history and inheritance eligibility.

The method for collecting DNA samples for paternity DNA testing has many questioning whether blood samples would be more accurate than buccal (cheek) swabs. In short, the answer is no. Here’s a look at why cheek-swabbing is the preferred method for DNA collection.

Advantages for the client

The use of buccal swabs in paternity kits is non-invasive and a much easier technique for the collection of DNA samples. This means no needles for those of us who would rather not have blood taken with a needle, especially if it’s not absolutely necessary. The buccal swabs also don’t require refrigeration like blood samples do, and they are good for up to six months after the collection has been taken. DNA testing for paternity results can be an emotionally-difficult procedure, so using buccal swabs is one way to help make the process a little less stressful.

Advantages for the lab

Why do scientists prefer to use buccal swabs over blood samples? From the lab’s point of view,extracting the DNA for testing is a much simpler process when using buccal swabs as opposed to blood samples. When analyzing DNA for paternity testing, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method is used for both buccal swabs or blood, which means the results are the same for both. Brite Hub states “The tests used for identifying DNA in blood samples are the same as used for identification of DNA in mouth lining scrapings.” The only exception is for those who have been a recipient of bone marrow transplants recently. If you have received a bone marrow transplant, you’ll want to speak with the lab conducting the DNA testing before they process the samples.

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Can my DNA Paternity Test be wrong because I’m a Chimera?

by HOMEDNA on 08/02/2010

Human chimeras are a popular topic for TV shows and crime scene dramas. This extremely rare and interesting genetic condition can lead to the question,“Can my DNA Paternity Test be wrong because I’m a chimera?”

Named for the mythical monster with a lion’s head, a goat’s body and the tail of a snake, human chimeras have two or more genetically distinct types of cells in their bodies. This anomaly is thought to be caused by the absorption, or fusing, of twins before they are born. This would cause the chimera to carry two sets of DNA in their body. One set of their DNA and one that would have been their twin’s DNA. This second set of DNA can show up anywhere in the body. A second, distinct set of DNA may be present in the skin, blood, or even reproductive organs of the chimera. This was what happened in the case of Lynda Fairchild, profiled in the ABC documentary.

She’s her own Twin

Fairchild underwent DNA maternity testing shortly after the birth of her child. Results showed a poor match, as if she was the baby’s grandmother. It was concluded that Fairchild may have been a chimera, her body the result of the fusion of two non identical embryos at the earliest stage of development. Different parts of her body could have come from different cell lines. Further testing indicated that cells taken from her reproductive organs, contained different DNA than those taken from her mouth for the DNA testing and were a match to her children.

Though cases like this are often given a lot of press, their occurrence is very rare. No one knows exactly how many cases of human chimera there are, but most studies cite only 30 reported cases in all of human history.

What does this mean for DNA paternity testing?

An inclusion, or “positive” DNA paternity test shows that an alleged father and the child share the same DNA. Therefore that man is considered to be the biological father. The father’s DNA was passed to the child, and the loci (markers) all match up. It’s virtually impossible (that is, very, very unlikely) that possessing two sets of DNA would make someone appear to be a father when they are not. Matches at all locations indicate a positive paternity test result, even if the father is a chimera.

An exclusion (when a man is not the father of a child) could potentially be affected, by someone being a chimera. It is possible for a chimera to pass one set of DNA on to their child but show a second set of DNA with a cheek swab, as in the Linda Fairchild case. Even so, the child and the father would still likely show a partial match, similar to that of a child and an uncle, since the second set of DNA would be that of the father’s unborn twin.

Disputed Maternity Leads to Identification of Tetragametic Chimerism – The New England Journal of Medicine

Genetic Mosaics