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Is DNA Testing Affected By The Condition Of Beta Thalassemia Minor Trait?

Posted on Thu, 16 Jun 2016

Question: I am a beta thalassemia minor. if I go for a relationship DNA test with my son can the DNA result be incorrect if my son is a carrier of thal and if not a carrier ? in both the cases can the DNA test report be impacted due to this ?

Answered by Dr. Deepti Verma (8 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
50% chance

Detailed Answer:
Hi dear,
I have gone through your question and understand your concerns.
If you are beta thalassemia minor, then the chances of your son being thalassemia minor or carrier is only 50%.
Therefore, it is not at all necessary that the beta thalassemia gene is present in the DNA test of your son.
Hope you found the answer helpful.
Regards
Dr Deepti Verma
OBGYN
Maternal and fetal medicine specialist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Deepti Verma (15 minutes later)

Hi Madam.
Thanks for the awnser but it actually does not clarify my doubts. My question was if I go for a relationship DNA testwith my son to find out whether he is my actual biological son or not, then can the DNA report be impacted anyways by this beta thalassemia trait ? because I have read that in beta thal the Red blood cells are smaller in size and chromosome 11 is affected as beta globin do
es not function properly. since in DNA test the sizes of the alleles of mother and son are compared, my question is can the allelle sizes be impacted due to beta thal and give a false DNA report ?

Also I read that Red blood cells fo not have DNA and DNA testing is done from WBCs. is it correct ?

if RBCs do not have DNA then how come chrosome 11 is affected in beta thal diesease ? as beta globin is found in haemoglobin only. kindly clarify

Answered by Dr. Deepti Verma (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Detailed answer below

Detailed Answer:
Hi dear, DNA testing is not affected by beta thalassemia minor trait as the chromosomal material and DNA is obtained from white blood cells.
Moreover, the red blood cells initially contain DNA when they are developing, but as the cells develop, the RBCs loose their DNA.
Haemoglobin is formed in RBC in the initial phase only, and hence thalassemia gene affects it early in its life, leading to defective haemoglobin and small RBCs.
Regards
Dr Deepti Verma

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Deepti Verma (1 hour later)

you mean to say white blood cells are not affected due to this trait of beta thalassemia. so Chromosome 11 does not have that problem of abnormal beta globin and hence allele sizes are not impacted in white blood cells. and is it always that relationship DNA test is done from white blood cells ?

Answered by Dr. Deepti Verma (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
DNA test done from white blood cells

Detailed Answer:
Hi dear, thaalways yemia gene affects only haemoglobin, and it is present in only red blood cells.
Rest all the cells are unaffected.
DNA test is always done from white blood cells.
Regards
Dr Deepti Verma

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Naveen Kumar

Follow up: Dr. Deepti Verma (8 minutes later)

thanks

Answered by Dr. Deepti Verma (8 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Happy to help

Detailed Answer:
Hi dear,
I am happy to have helped you.
You can get back to me for further queries by asking a direct question to me on the health care magic portal.
Regards
Dr Deepti Verma

Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad