From owner-diagnostics@net.bio.net Wed Apr 12 23:00:00 1995
Path: biosci!MERCURY.UARK.EDU!DRHOADS
From: DRHOADS@MERCURY.UARK.EDU ("Douglas Rhoads")
Newsgroups: bionet.diagnostics
Subject: Re: sample collection
Date: 13 Apr 1995 12:06:08 -0700
Organization: University of Arkansas
Lines: 60
Sender: daemon@net.bio.net
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <6493FA5C66@mercury.uark.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net

> To:            diagnost@net.bio.net
> From:          bwallace@genetics.bio-rad.com (Bruce Wallace)
> Subject:       Re: sample collection
> Date:          13 Apr 1995 08:36:35 -0700

> >In article <1FA3363D96@mercury.uark.edu>, DRHOADS@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
> 

I would agree with everything you say.  However, in my case the 
samples will not be collected by a trained health care provider.  I 
have looked into the microlancets and considered capillary tubes.  I 
have seen how this works when field workers have been asked to 
collect.  We end up with blood on both ends of the cap tube and all 
over the shipping container.  At that point we don't know where the 
blood smear comes from and could be contaminations from other animals 
recently collected.  One thing I have considered is a kit of a 
lancet, cap tube, shipping container, alcohol swab and latex gloves.  
One set for each sample.  I was just hoping someone had built a better 
mouse (blood) trap.  Something like a small lancet that has a hollow 
point and would collect a few microliters of blood inside the lancet.


am trying to limit 
//========================================================\\
||Doug Rhoads              || Dept. of Biological Sciences||
||drhoads@mercury.uark.edu || 601 Science Engineering     ||
||drhoads@uafsysb.uark.edu || University of Arkansas      ||
||501-575-3251             || Fayetteville, AR 72701      ||
==========================================================||
||     My Dogma Just Got Run Over by Someone's Karma      ||
\\========================================================//

.