DNA Paternity Guide: Can Ordinary Cotton Swabs Be Used For DNA Testing?

DNA testing has been around for a few years now, but since it is not everyday that DNA tests are needed by everyone, there are still some questions left answered.

For one, what is DNA testing? DNA testing is the process of taking biological samples from an individual, treating this biological sample and mapping out its code in order to extract information about the individual. Since each individual have unique codes, there are no two DNA test results that can be completely similar. However, biological families, ethnic groups and individuals with common ancestors are similar in some of their DNA alleles. Thus, DNA tests nowadays are popularly used to determine paternity, percentage of blood relation between siblings, twin DNA tests, grandparents DNA tests. And since DNAs are unique in each individual, DNA test are also used in forensic science and criminal investigation to determine perpetrator of a crime, much like fingerprints but only with more technically complicated process of treatment and data extraction. DNA samples can be gotten from hair follicle, skin scrapings, semen, saliva and the most commonly used sample, the buccal tissue.

On this regard, another very important technical question as to the sample collection of DNA test specimen has arised: what is used to collect this sample? DNA testing laboratories and home DNA test kits use buccal swabs. The process is to simply rub the swab along the inside of the cheeks and to submit the swab for further treatment of specimen.

For individuals who take their DNA tests in laboratories, the question of whether or not they can use ordinary cotton swabs is not much of a concern. However, there are still individuals who want to do their DNA testing ? and it?s results ? discretely, and are therefore opt to use home DNA test kits. Here, the question of whether they can use ordinary cotton swabs must be addressed to.

Common, ordinary cotton swabs are not chemically-treated to collect and preserve tissues. Therefore, it may not be used for DNA testing. All DNA test laboratories and home DNA test kits use only the buccal swab chemically treated to preserve cheek tissues as they give more accurate results.

For more technical questions on the different DNA tests, it is always best to do your homework and research in the internet or visit your local DNA test laboratories.

JB Anthony is the co-webmaster and co-promoter of http://www.dnapaternityguide.com To link to ISO certified DNA Test Laboratories worldwide, to order your home DNA test kits, or to find out more about DNA testing, please log on to http://www.dnapaternityguide.com