Mixture Patterned Short Tandem Repeat Profile in a Perimortem Transfused Patient

Throughout past several decades, various authors have reported that transfusion not only can interfere with but also can alter the recipient’s genotype temporarily. Despite the fact that there is nodefinite worldwide protocol and claims by several authors that transfusion does not affect individual genotype [1], certain countries, such as the United Kingdom, strongly suggest avoiding the use of blood samples from a recently transfused patient for genotyping [2]. While the precise mechanism for such an event remains unknown, numerous studies have depicted that donor genetic material is capable of surviving in the recipient’s system for a reasonable amount of time, and therefore, one must take a cautious approach in samples of recently transfused patients [3,4]. In this study, an autopsy was performed for a patient who was transfused perimortem. In order to examine whether the patient’s genomic DNA would generate a mixture-like short tandem repeat (STR) profile, his blood sample was collected during the autopsy, and a sample of a muscle tissue was collected as a reference. Korean J Leg Med 2016;40:27-31 http://dx.doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2016.40.1.27