Determination of shedder status: A comparison of two methods involving cell counting in fingerprints and the DNA analysis of handheld tubes

Forensic Sci Int Genet. 2021 Jul:53:102541. doi: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2021.102541. Epub 2021 May 28.

Abstract

The shedder status of an individual may be important to consider in the context of DNA transfer, persistence and recovery and in Bayesian networks where a person's shedder status may have an impact on the outcome. In this study we compared two methods to determine shedder status: the handheld tube (HH) method and a fluorescent cell count (CC) method. A poor association was observed between the numbers of detected cells in a fingerprint using the CC method and the strength of the DNA result with the HH method. The 20 participants were classified into low (25%), medium (50%) and high (25%) shedders based on the HH method. While the low and high shedders showed a good consistency between the replicates, the medium shedders varied more and have to be considered more carefully as they may act as either a high or a low shedder in an event of DNA transfer.

Keywords: Diamond nucleic acid dye; Direct PCR analysis; Fingerprints; Handheld tubes; Shedder status.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Count / methods*
  • DNA Fingerprinting*
  • Dermatoglyphics*
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Forensic Genetics / methods
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Specimen Handling / instrumentation*

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes