The effect of formalin fixation on the polymerase chain reaction characterization of Entamoeba histolytica
- 1 May 1999
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
- Vol. 93 (3) , 335-336
- https://doi.org/10.1016/s0035-9203(99)90045-7
Abstract
Formalin fixation is the most common storage, transportation and preservation method for stool samples. However, fixation dramatically reduces our ability to extract from stool samples DNA that is a suitable template for polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based diagnostic tests. In this study we evaluated the effects of formalin concentration and of the time stored in fixative on the success of PCR amplification. We found that the deleterious effects of formalin are both time and concentration dependent and may result from fragmentation of fixed DNA during its purification.Keywords
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