Field blood conservation for DNA extraction

During field studies in tropical areas researchers are faced up to the problem of conserving blood at ambient temperatures sometimes for several months. The use of liquid nitrogen is uneasy, expensive and time consuming. Here we present two methods of blood conservation used during two expeditions in Madagascar which gave us very positive results: the blood was conserved in the field at ambient temperature for up to three months for further succesful DNA extraction. © 1995 International Institute for the Study of Man.