International Journal of Legal Medicine最新文献_第6页

Identification of menstrual blood and vaginal fluid using a 4-plex MSRE-PCR system applicable to alleged sexual assault cases. 使用适用于涉嫌性侵犯案件的4-plex MSRE-PCR系统鉴定经血和阴道液。

IF 2.2 3区医学

International Journal of Legal Medicine Pub Date : 2025-07-01 Epub Date: 2025-04-03 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-025-03471-9

Chia-Tzu Hsu, Li-Chin Tsai, Kuo-Lan Liu, Yu-Chih Lin, Nu-En Huang, James Chun-I Lee, Adrian Linacre, Hsing-Mei Hsieh

{"title":"Identification of menstrual blood and vaginal fluid using a 4-plex MSRE-PCR system applicable to alleged sexual assault cases.","authors":"Chia-Tzu Hsu, Li-Chin Tsai, Kuo-Lan Liu, Yu-Chih Lin, Nu-En Huang, James Chun-I Lee, Adrian Linacre, Hsing-Mei Hsieh","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03471-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00414-025-03471-9","url":null,"abstract":"Menstrual blood and vaginal fluid are frequently encountered in conjunction with semen in alleged sexual assault cases. There are few tests with high specificity for these two body fluids and here we report on a 4-plex MSRE-PCR system for the detection of menstrual blood and vaginal fluid. The assay uses four markers in a multiplex PCR: a positive control (PC), digestive control (DC), menstrual blood-specific (MB) marker and vaginal fluid-specific (VF) marker. Menstrual blood and vaginal fluid samples were identified by the MB and VF markers as expected. Additionally, the results using samples from saliva, semen and blood were also correctly identified, with an absence of both the MB and VF markers as expected, even though MB and VF signals can occur within a few non-target body fluids (urine, nasal fluid and skin). It was found that the methylation levels at the markers for both menstrual blood and vaginal fluid have differences between individuals. The methylation level of the marker for menstrual blood was affected by the day during the menstruation cycle, which also affected the sensitivity of the test. DNA required for correct identification of menstrual blood increased from 1 ng at day 1 to 1.5 ng for day 5. The sensitivity of the assay using samples from vaginal fluid was at least 0.5 ng of DNA for confident identification. Menstrual blood samples deposited on seven types of materials frequently encountered in forensic investigations were all correctly assigned. Also, samples of simulated mixed menstrual blood and vaginal fluid were tested and the results were all concordant as expected. These data help to verify the applicability of the 4-plex MSRE-PCR system in forensic casework.","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1553-1568"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143772329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A multi-level overview of the hair decomposition process. 头发分解过程的多层次概述。

IF 2.2 3区医学

International Journal of Legal Medicine Pub Date : 2025-07-01 Epub Date: 2025-04-02 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-025-03474-6

Katarzyna Palacz-Ziółek, Monika Krzyżanowska, Marcin Kadej

{"title":"A multi-level overview of the hair decomposition process.","authors":"Katarzyna Palacz-Ziółek, Monika Krzyżanowska, Marcin Kadej","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03474-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00414-025-03474-6","url":null,"abstract":"The process of hair fibre degradation is still not well studied. The first group of decompositional alterations are those caused by an external factor - the action of other organisms or environment. The main groups degrading this biological material include microorganisms such as bacteria, Micromycetes and invertebrates. The mechanism of post-mortem root banding is not well known. It is presumed to be caused by external factors (microorganisms, staining by decaying body), but also internal factors (decomposition of the hair matrix). Other degradative changes described in the literature include the breakdown of proteins (mainly keratin - the main building block of hair), photodegradation, which occurs due to the excitation of melanin radicals and elemental composition during hair decomposition. The aim of this research is to extend and systematise the knowledge of hair decomposition, in particular regarding these degradative changes, and to identify gaps and new directions for research in this field. The publications cited in this study, along with the analyses performed, indicate that hair is a promising biological material with potential applications in various fields, including forensics, archaeology, industry, and ecology. In particular, hair can be valuable for estimating post-mortem interval (PMI), as well as for genetic studies, toxicology, and life history analysis. However, key research gaps remain, notably the lack of comprehensive studies on hair decomposition and the absence of standardized, validated methods that could be widely implemented in forensic laboratories and industry.","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1925-1939"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143763558","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The European Council of Legal and Forensic Medicine: its role and work in progressing harmonised standards and recommendations in Forensic and Legal Medicine investigation procedures, training and teaching through pursuit of internationally agreed and peer-reviewed published guidelines. 欧洲法医学和法医学理事会：其作用和工作：通过追求国际商定和同行评议的已出版指南，在法医学和法医学调查程序、培训和教学方面推进统一标准和建议。

IF 2.2 3区医学

International Journal of Legal Medicine Pub Date : 2025-07-01 Epub Date: 2025-02-22 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-025-03446-w

Denis A Cusack

{"title":"The European Council of Legal and Forensic Medicine: its role and work in progressing harmonised standards and recommendations in Forensic and Legal Medicine investigation procedures, training and teaching through pursuit of internationally agreed and peer-reviewed published guidelines.","authors":"Denis A Cusack","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03446-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00414-025-03446-w","url":null,"abstract":"Specialists and Practitioners in Forensic Medicine and Pathology have onerous duties and obligations in the examination of both the dead and living victims of alleged criminal assault and injury and in the examination of the alleged perpetrators of criminal actions. Forensic physicians and pathologists work in close collaboration with scientific colleagues and law enforcement agencies and present their independent and unbiased findings to the criminal, civil and coronial courts to assist in the administration of justice. Approved and established forensic standards for reporting and certifying investigations and conclusions are core prerequisites for the maintenance of evidential credibility and scrutiny and of justice. Judges, Investigating Magistrates, Coroners and Prosecution and Defence Lawyers as well as Government Departments of Justice and Health are recipients of such expert reports and testimony in framing their respective tasks for society within their countries' legal frameworks. The European Council of Legal and Forensic Medicine has published collaborative papers on international standards and guidelines for forensic examinations by forensic physicians and pathologists of deaths and injuries in the areas of accreditation of pathology services; on-site scene and corpse investigation; examination of victims of sexual assault and of elder abuse; and also in undergraduate and postgraduate forensic teaching and training, in pursuit of international harmonisation.","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1781-1785"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12170775/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143476603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Characterization of challenging forensic DNA traces using advanced molecular technologies. 表征具有挑战性的法医DNA痕迹使用先进的分子技术。

IF 2.2 3区医学

International Journal of Legal Medicine Pub Date : 2025-07-01 Epub Date: 2025-03-01 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-025-03448-8

Amel Larnane, Caroline Lefèvre-Horgues, Corinne Cruaud, Cédric Fund, Edith Le Floch, Florian Sandron, Béatrice Segurens, Alexandre How-Kit, Jean-François Deleuze

{"title":"Characterization of challenging forensic DNA traces using advanced molecular technologies.","authors":"Amel Larnane, Caroline Lefèvre-Horgues, Corinne Cruaud, Cédric Fund, Edith Le Floch, Florian Sandron, Béatrice Segurens, Alexandre How-Kit, Jean-François Deleuze","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03448-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00414-025-03448-8","url":null,"abstract":"The majority of crime scenes contain DNA that is either present in small amounts or degraded, making it difficult to obtain usable DNA profiles using conventional technologies. The current standard for analyzing casework samples is the specific amplification of short tandem repeats (STR), which is limited by DNA quality and quantity. Since the goal of forensic science is to identify a suspect or victim regardless of trace quality, we evaluated three technological approaches to better characterize and exploit these traces: (i) ultra-sensitive pulse-field electrophoresis on a Femto Pulse System (FPS) to visualize DNA content, (ii) real-time quantitative PCR based on Alu repeats to quantify human DNA and analyze its integrity, and (iii) 16S ribosomal RNA gene (16S rRNA) amplicon sequencing to identify microbiota. We optimized FPS analysis using DNA from model traces (blood, saliva, semen, touch DNA, and vaginal swabs) and applied the protocol to 100 casework samples. We found differences between the FPS profiles of model and casework samples, showing a variation in fragment size and distribution, suggesting the presence of non-human DNA. Using Alu-qPCR and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, we determined the amount and proportion of human and non-human DNA. Human DNA was detected in 84% of traces with an average of 70 pg per trace, while 16S rRNA revealed microbial DNA as the most abundant DNA in traces. These analyses provide new insights into forensic trace composition, allowing better sorting and profiling of traces.","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1511-1527"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12170681/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143531534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Ischemic and non-ischemic myocardial injuries at autopsy- an overview for forensic pathologists. 尸检中的缺血性和非缺血性心肌损伤-法医病理学家概述。

IF 2.2 3区医学

International Journal of Legal Medicine Pub Date : 2025-07-01 Epub Date: 2025-04-02 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-025-03479-1

Katarzyna Michaud, Cristina Basso, Hans H de Boer, Tony Fracasso, Monica de Gaspari, Carla Giordano, Xiaofei Li, Joaquin Lucena, Pilar Molina, Sarah Parsons, Mary N Sheppard, Allard C van der Wal

{"title":"Ischemic and non-ischemic myocardial injuries at autopsy- an overview for forensic pathologists.","authors":"Katarzyna Michaud, Cristina Basso, Hans H de Boer, Tony Fracasso, Monica de Gaspari, Carla Giordano, Xiaofei Li, Joaquin Lucena, Pilar Molina, Sarah Parsons, Mary N Sheppard, Allard C van der Wal","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03479-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00414-025-03479-1","url":null,"abstract":"Cardiovascular diseases are major causes of morbidity and death worldwide, and most cardiac deaths are related to ischemic injury of the myocardium (myocardial infarction). As underlined in the current clinical definition and classification of myocardial infarctions, not all myocardial injuries are due to ischemia: irreversible injury, ending in necrosis, can be induced also by various other factors, such as infections, immune disorders, physical and chemical agents, and trauma. This is supported by clinical studies showing that elevated serum levels of cardiac troponins, as a measure of myocardial damage, are also a common finding in the non-ischemic types of myocardial injury. Forensic pathologists confronted with autopsy findings suggestive of myocardial injury should therefore realize that both ischemic and non-ischemic forms of myocardial death can be observed, and not only in natural but also non-natural deaths (intoxications, asphyxia, traumatic and iatrogenic deaths, and others). Distinguishing these different types of injuries and underlying diseases or circumstances of death is critical, not only to determine the cause and mechanism of death, but also to help investigate often challenging medico-legal scenarios. This article reviews the broad spectrum of ischemic and non-ischemic myocardial injuries in natural and violent deaths. From this perspective we propose a diagnostic approach to myocardial injuries in a forensic pathology context.","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1579-1596"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12170769/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143763670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Age estimation in children: insights from a new Bosnian-Herzegovinian formula. 儿童年龄估计：来自新的波斯尼亚-黑塞哥维那公式的见解。

IF 2.2 3区医学

International Journal of Legal Medicine Pub Date : 2025-07-01 Epub Date: 2025-04-07 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-025-03478-2

Emina Dervišević, Aida Selmanagić, Kenan Šehić

{"title":"Age estimation in children: insights from a new Bosnian-Herzegovinian formula.","authors":"Emina Dervišević, Aida Selmanagić, Kenan Šehić","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03478-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00414-025-03478-2","url":null,"abstract":"In recent years, the use of precise age assessment methods on living individuals has become increasingly important in the forensic field. The aim of this study was to develop, for the first time, a Bosnian and Herzegovinian-specific formula based on our local dataset, utilizing the LASSO model to uncover and leverage the unique characteristics of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian population. This research is undertaken to address the need for a Bosnia-Herzegovina-specific equation capable of accurately predicting a child's age using local data. The dataset covering the details of 205 Bosnian boys and girls, spanning from 7 to 13 years, to maintain representativeness and reduce potential age-related biases. Three distinct models were considered, each inspired by existing approaches but adapted to the specifics of the local dataset. The first model, based on the Belgrade equation, incorporated predictors x3, x7, and N0. The second model extended the European equation by including N0, x5, s, and the interaction term s⋅N0. The third model adopted a linear regression framework with Lasso regularization, which used all available predictors (x1, x2, x3, x4, x5, x6, x7, s, N0, s⋅N0). It would be recommended that in the future the BH equation that has the form of the European one that specifically uses the x5 tooth with gender, sum and product be used. A linear model with fewer parameters is generally preferred, as the results between Lasso and such models are ultimately negligible. In this study, we explored the use of Lasso model as a method to identify which teeth contribute most to dental age estimation within a linear modeling framework. By comparing Lasso's performance to the customized European formula for the Bosnian-Herzegovinian population, we found that the results were similar, and in some cases, Lasso even performed slightly better. Given that the European formula relies on fewer features, it presents a practical and efficient alternative as a final model for Bosnian-Herzegovinian dental age estimation.","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1735-1741"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143795073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Exploring human hair degradation: A preliminary study for estimating time-since-death. 探索人类头发退化：预估死亡时间的初步研究。

IF 2.2 3区医学

International Journal of Legal Medicine Pub Date : 2025-07-01 Epub Date: 2025-03-26 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-025-03476-4

Angela Silva-Bessa, Stuart Ramage, Maria Teresa Ferreira, Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira, Shari L Forbes, Lorna Dawson

{"title":"Exploring human hair degradation: A preliminary study for estimating time-since-death.","authors":"Angela Silva-Bessa, Stuart Ramage, Maria Teresa Ferreira, Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira, Shari L Forbes, Lorna Dawson","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03476-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00414-025-03476-4","url":null,"abstract":"Postmortem interval (PMI) estimation is a challenging task in forensic investigations. PMI assessment frequently requires the application of the currently available methods which can lead to unsatisfactory results due to the poor accuracy of time interval estimation. To address these concerns, the present study aimed to evaluate whether there is a correlation between human hair proteolysis and PMI. Scalp hair samples of three living donors and eleven individuals exhumed from different burial types from Portuguese cemeteries were analysed by ATR-FTIR (attenuated total reflectance - Fourier-transform infrared). Four band areas and three hair degradation indices were considered in the 2000-1000 cm-1 spectral region. When analysing the entire dataset (i.e., 126 infrared spectra) - and when separating and analysing the spectroscopic data by burial type - the ratio between amide II (∼1550 cm-1) and S = O and SO3 combined (∼1074 cm-1 and ∼1043 cm-1, respectively) suggests there is a correlation between hair proteolysis and PMI (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, it is recommended that a larger dataset is required to confirm the preliminary results obtained in this study and to explore how this correlation can be used to estimate PMI in forensic casework.","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1913-1923"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12170699/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143709658","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The current state of forensic imaging- clinical forensic imaging. 法医影像学的现状——临床法医影像学。

IF 2.2 3区医学

International Journal of Legal Medicine Pub Date : 2025-07-01 Epub Date: 2025-03-18 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-025-03464-8

Fabrice Dedouit, Mathilde Ducloyer, Jamie Elifritz, Natalie L Adolphi, Grace Wong Yi-Li, Summer Decker, Jonathan Ford, Yanko Kolev, Michael Thali

引用次数: 0

Uniparental disomy (UPD) as the cause of inconsistencies in parentage tests: report of maternal UPD of chromosome 2 and review of the literature. 单亲裂殖症（UPD）是亲子鉴定不一致的原因：2号染色体母体UPD报告及文献综述。

IF 2.2 3区医学

International Journal of Legal Medicine Pub Date : 2025-07-01 Epub Date: 2025-03-01 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-025-03428-y

Cintia Fridman, João Paulo Gervasio Batista, Pamela Viana Bianchini, Vanessa Procópio Batistutti, Paulo de Sá Osório, Laura de Mello Andrade, José Eduardo Levi, Ana Cristina Victorino Krepischi, Darine Villela, Carla Rosenberg

{"title":"Uniparental disomy (UPD) as the cause of inconsistencies in parentage tests: report of maternal UPD of chromosome 2 and review of the literature.","authors":"Cintia Fridman, João Paulo Gervasio Batista, Pamela Viana Bianchini, Vanessa Procópio Batistutti, Paulo de Sá Osório, Laura de Mello Andrade, José Eduardo Levi, Ana Cristina Victorino Krepischi, Darine Villela, Carla Rosenberg","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03428-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00414-025-03428-y","url":null,"abstract":"Uniparental disomy (UPD) is the abnormal situation in which both members of a chromosome pair exclusively comprise material of one of the parents. The incidence of UPD is estimated in 1:2000 live births. This rare condition is relevant for medical genetics due to imprinting disorders or recessive diseases; however, it may also impact for parentage testing, leading to apparent false parentage. Herein we report the results of a paternity test in which four inconsistencies were observed, all of them mapped on chromosome 2. To investigate the possibility of a complete maternal compound hetero/isodisomy UPD2 as an alternative to false exclusion paternity result, SNP-array and Y-chromosome haplotyping were additionally performed. The results were compatible with the occurrence of a maternal UPD2. Review of the literature shows that UPD2 represents about half of the UPDs detected in parentage tests. The case reported here illustrates that UPD should be considered in cases of parentage testing exhibiting inconsistencies of at least two markers exclusively in a single chromosome.","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1575-1578"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143531515","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A case of suspected transmission of group A Streptococcus from a dead body with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome to an autopsy worker. 疑似A群链球菌从一具链球菌中毒性休克综合征的尸体传播给一名尸检工作者的病例。

IF 2.2 3区医学

International Journal of Legal Medicine Pub Date : 2025-07-01 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-025-03545-8

Keisuke Okaba, Ayumi Motomura, Naoki Saito, Koji Yamaguchi, Namiko Ishii, Shizuru Hara, Misako Ohkusu, Noriko Takeuchi, Naruhiko Ishiwada, Daisuke Yajima

{"title":"A case of suspected transmission of group A Streptococcus from a dead body with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome to an autopsy worker.","authors":"Keisuke Okaba, Ayumi Motomura, Naoki Saito, Koji Yamaguchi, Namiko Ishii, Shizuru Hara, Misako Ohkusu, Noriko Takeuchi, Naruhiko Ishiwada, Daisuke Yajima","doi":"10.1007/s00414-025-03545-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-025-03545-8","url":null,"abstract":"Autopsy workers are known to be at risk of contracting various infectious diseases from dead bodies. However, infections caused by group A Streptococcus (GAS, Streptococcus pyogenes) are rarely reported and often overlooked despite their potential severity. GAS infections can lead to serious complications, including streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS). In this study, we conducted genetic analyses to identify the source of GAS bacteremia in a worker who conducted an autopsy on an individual who had developed STSS from GAS. GAS strains from the dead body and autopsy worker were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for five major streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin (SPE) genes (speA, speB, speC, speF, and ssa) and M protein (emm) typing by sequencing. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed to analyze seven housekeeping genes (gki, gtr, murI, mutS, recP, xpt, and yqiL) by PCR and sequencing. Both GAS strains were positive for speB and speF, negative for speA, speC, and ssa, and classified as emm81.0 and sequence type 117. This is the first report to demonstrate homology between GAS strains from a dead body and autopsy worker using the M-protein type, SPE gene expression, and MLST analysis. Although the autopsy was conducted in a controlled environment with appropriate personal protective equipment, including N95 masks, GAS contact transmission may have occurred during other handling procedures, such body transportation. These findings emphasize the need for stringent precautionary measures when handling dead bodies and their specimens, considering the risk of infection at any time.","PeriodicalId":14071,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Legal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144540143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0