Characteristics of corpse damage caused by scuds.

Abstract

The aim of the study: The aim of this study was to investigate in which rivers and water bodies the phenomenon of corpse damage caused by scuds occurs, whether it is related to the duration of the body's immersion in water, and to define the common characteristics of such skin lesions. Furthermore, the frequency of its occurrence was assessed, taking into account air temperature and season.

Material and methods: The autopsy reports from the Department of Forensic Medicine at Jagiellonian University in Krakow for the years 2015-2024 were analysed. A total of 285 cases of drowning victims were selected. The occurrence and type of injuries were verified based on documentation and autopsy photographs. Histopathological examinations were performed at the Department of Forensic Medicine to confirm the presence of human proteins in the digestive system of crustaceans.

Results and conclusions: A common feature in all the cases was the punctate disruption of the epidermis. In 5 out of 285 cases, small crustaceans were found, along with epidermal lesions on exposed parts of the body. Similar damage, but without the presence of individuals of scuds, was present on 25 bodies. No typical damage caused by D. haemobaphes was found on corpses in an advanced state of decomposition. The phenomenon of scud scavenging on corpses was observed almost exclusively at positive air temperatures, with an increase during the spring-summer period. The characteristic punctate epidermal lesions on corpses retrieved from water are the result of scud scavenging, including D. haemobaphes. Such damage occurred only when the time between the victim's death due to drowning and their retrieval from the water was short. The largest number of drowning victims with signs of scud scavenging was found in the Vistula River.