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Effects of Nonoxinol-9 on the Ability to Obtain DNA Profiles from Postcoital Vaginal Swabs

NCJ Number
141749
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 38 Issue: 2 Dated: (March 1993) Pages: 442-447
Author(s)
M N Hochmeister; B Budowle; U V Borer; R Dirnhofer
Date Published
1993
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Some research findings suggest that the early application of nonoxinol-9, an active ingredient in many spermicide foams and creams, is a potential prophylactic therapy for preventing the transmission of the HIV virus. Forensic scientists involved in rape investigations must determine whether the presence of nonoxinol-9 could have an adverse effect on the recovery of high molecular weight DNA from postcoital vaginal swabs and thereby affect restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis.
Abstract
In this study, inserts, gels, or sponges containing nonoxinol-9 were applied either 15 minutes before or 15 to 60 minutes post-coitus. Postcoital vaginal swabs were taken 1 and 6 hours after intercourse, the DNA was isolated, and DNA identity typing was performed. The results showed that nonoxinol-9 had no adverse affect on the ability to obtain DNA fingerprints, using either RFLP or PCR-based tests. The quantity of extractable high molecular weight DNA obtained from subjects who used the nonoxinol-9 products was comparable to that obtained from uncontaminated postcoital vaginal swabs. RFLP patterns and PCR-based typing results at the HLA-DQ alpha and D1S80 loci were also consistent between both samples. 1 table, 2 figures, and 15 references