Patent ID: 7569342

Claim:
A method of suppressing the interference of a masking agent selected from the group consisting of a leukocyte esterase, a heme protein, a myoglobin analogue, a hemoglobin analogue, a myoglobin derivative, a hemoglobin derivative, a myoglobin oxidation product, a hemoglobin oxidation product, a myoglobin breakdown product, a hemoglobin breakdown product, a ferritin, methemoglobin, sulfhemoglobin, and bilirubin, on a molecular assay of a nucleic acid-containing bodily fluid, the method comprising: contacting the bodily fluid with a reagent consisting of from about 0.01 M to about 0.1 M of a divalent metal chelator and from about 0.1 M to 1.0 M of a chelator enhancing component selected from the group consisting of lithium chloride, sodium salicyl ate, and combinations thereof; wherein the interference of the masking agent on the molecular assay of the nucleic acid-containing bodily fluid is suppressed.