HIV or meds damage to DNA affecting results?

[Lincoln]

Hi,

Does anyone know about damage to DNA caused by HIV or HIV meds? I was wondering (for months) if this could affect my results in any way, as I have AIDS and have been taking various antivirals for 23 or so years. I have glanced at articles in past which discussed chromosome breaks and/or aging of DNA, such as is seen in older people.

http://www.google.com/search?q=hiv+dna+damage&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7DKUS

[Brunetmj]

I take methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritirs. It has side effects such as warnings about fathering children and pregnant woman should not handle it.
In larger amounts it is used in chemotherapy and I had no issues in testing at 63. My mother tested fine at 95. I am not a expert on medications and their effect on DNA testing but I doubt your medications would.

[Lincoln]

I do not know if HIV or anti-HIV meds DNA damage can cause problems with DNA testing. They do cause damage to DNA, at least according to the news articles I have read.

[Brunetmj]

They do cause damage to DNA, at least according to the news articles I have read.

The reason I mentioned the side effect of methotrexate in my post because
it causes gene damage. (or has the potential to) but it had no effect on my testing. I would suggest , if your interest is in testing, is to wait for a sale on the least expensive test and give it a try. To be someone useful for genealogy I would suggest the Y test , if your male, no lower than 37 marker.
If female than the mtDNA panel 1.

I guess my point is that there would never be any way to know for sure unless you try it. Medical literature is always based on statistical information which may , or may not , apply to an individual.

[fbirder]

I do not know if HIV or anti-HIV meds DNA damage can cause problems with DNA testing. They do cause damage to DNA, at least according to the news articles I have read.

Any DNA damage will only happen in a tiny minority of your cells (otherwise it would be fatal).

[Lincoln]

fbirder, Brunetmj

Thank you to both of you. FWIW, I have had extensive testing done - FF, mtDNA, Y-Dna (and Deep Clade & more) here; 23andMe; and soon the autosomal at Ancestry. I guess I don't know what if any damage would do... I have a close relative who is awaiting his kit here, so I suppose he might be a useful comparison.

[Darren]

Lincoln,

This type of question has come up before. To my knowledge is that the three big ones that could effect a DNA test would be stem cell therapy, bone marrow transplant, or a skin graft on the cheek where the swab is taken.

These scenarios can produce Chimerism, where two different DNA signatures would be found in the same person.

Since the causes of mutations are not fully understood it is conceivable that other intervention might effect one's DNA but these are the prominent ones I have heard of.

-Darren Marin
Family Tree DNA