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Accurate DNA Typing from Two Massively Transfused PatientsFrancis A. Chiafari and Robert E. Wenk The interview process for paternity testing patients currently includes a question regarding recent transfusion history and laboratories that possess American Association of Blood Bank (AABB) accreditation are required to record the answer in the case materials. The inquiry is the result of the observation, in the red cell testing systems, that mixed field agglutination can occur when red blood cells of various sources exist together in a sample. The average life span of a cross-matched red cell in a transfusion recipient is 120 days, making the typing of the patient problematical during this period. Nucleated cells, susceptible to host v. graft rejection and other elimination mechanisms, present a different situation, displaying a half life of only 3 to 7 days. We have extensively tested two individuals who underwent massive transfusion as the result of significant trauma. Blood samples, acquired from the deceased, were ultimately compared to genetically related uncontaminated samples using either PCR or RFLP based DNA typing systems. Mosaicism was not seen in samples from either patient, even after as many as thirty transfusion events over a three day period. A more extensive study is currently in progress. Go to proceedings home page
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