DNA Testing – What is it?

DNA testing is based on the discovery that each individual has a DNA profile that is unique to him or herself, to the extent that only one in six billion people will have the same DNA profile as the other. Therefore our DNA profile can be used as a means of identifying a person with a level of accuracy that is greater than 99.99%. Many people today are choosing to have their DNA profiled, out of personal interest and curiosity, as well as for a variety of other reasons. For example, a people who have high risk jobs may choose to have their DNA profiled as a means of identification should they encounter physical harm.

Issues of Infidelity

An interesting extension of the use of DNA profiling is the use of a DNA test to answer questions regarding the fidelity of one’s partner in a scientific manner. In cases of suspected infidelity, people are making increasing use of DNA testing in order to establish the presence of another person’s DNA on items such as items of clothing stained with bodily fluids, toothbrushes, cigarette ends and a variety of other DNA samples. By comparing one’s own DNA profile to that obtained from these samples, a person is able to establish if the DNA profile is the same in both cases, and if not, the sex of the person whose DNA is extracted from the aforementioned items.

Accuracy of Paternity Test

In addition, genetic research has now vastly increased our knowledge of how DNA is transmitted from the parents to their children, as well as from one generation to the other. This has led to the development of a variety of tests that are able to establish the nature of biological relationships between people. The most popular of these is the home DNA paternity test, by means of this test one can establish, often with degrees of accuracy that are superior to a 99.9% degree of probability, if a person is the biological father of a child. In cases of exclusion of the father as the biological father of the child, this can often be established with a percentage probability of him being the father of 0%.

Relationship Testing

The sophistication of modern day testing technology has now extended relationship testing to other areas, for example, establishing if a person is one’s grandparent, or aunt and uncle. One can also test to establish if a person is one’s full brother or sister, half brother or sister or not related at all. These kinds of tests are very useful in cases where the alleged father or the alleged mother are not available for testing, for example in cases where the alleged parent is deceased.

Therefore as one can see, the use of DNA testing has extended to a wide variety of purposes, to suit the particular circumstances and needs of the client.