>In article <1FA3363D96 at mercury.uark.edu>, DRHOADS at MERCURY.UARK.EDU>("Douglas Rhoads") says:
>>>>I would like to poll the this newsgroup as to what methods others
>>might recommend for sample collection. We need to collect microliter
>>amounts of blood for PCR analysis. Unfortunately, the samples should
>>be most easily collected by untrained animal handlers. We have
>>looked into cap tubes and the micro-vacutainer type collection tubes
>>but all of these require using a lancet and then collection from skin
>>surfaces. It would be really nice if there was a vacutainer/needle
>>system that collects only 10-100 microliters but those systems start
>>at around 2 ml. Since we are using PCR we are very concerned that
>>with surface collection there can be cross-contamination from
>>handlers hands and from dander on the skin surface. We also don't
>>want to have to design something.
>>>>Does anyone have any suggestions where we might look??
>>
Doug,
Blood is routinely collected from infants by puncturing the heel with a
lancet, blotting the blood onto filter paper (S&S 903) and drying the
specimen. This method of collecting blood has been shown to be adequate
for use in DNA probe analysis including PCR and LCR. More importantly,
there does not seem to be a problem of cross contamination when filter
papers containing dried blood spots from different individuals are stored
in physical contact with each other.
Bruce Wallace
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Bruce Wallace, Molecular Diagnostics Tel: 510-741-6532
Bio-Rad Laboratories Fax: 510-741-1051
2000 Alfred Nobel Dr.
Hercules CA 94547 email: bwallace at genetics.bio-rad.com
