unusual break in sql

[otuatail]

Hi I have a query that returns 1 but in a direct DB query but 0 on the web page. The query is

select Count(*) As val FROM Replies WHERE Submitted = '$UID'   AND thread = '$Thread';

 

On the page I get a return value of 0. when I echoed the query and pasted it directly into db it confirmed zero. On closer inspection the query has been spliced.

 

select Count(*) As val FROM Replies WHERE Submitted = '8d90afbc4c3fa30e81eff74460c2b42e
' AND thread = 'd1bc454d4050cb37f0f9bab21d3c0062';

 

the closing apostraphy is on the next line. putting it back into place and direct into the DB it is back to 1.

Is there a reason for this unusual break as I can't understand why the query could ever fail.