Examination of postmortem animal interference to human remains using cross-species multiplex PCR |
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Authors: | Iris Schulz Peter M Schneider Klaus Olek Markus A Rothschild Michael Tsokos |
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Institution: | (1) Biopsytec Analytik & Logistik GmbH, Rheinbach, Germany;(2) Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany;(3) Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Cologne, Melatengürtel 60-62, 50823 Cologne, Germany |
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Abstract: | Postmortem animal interference may be confused at first sight with injuries of vital origin, thus arousing suspicion of external
violence preceding death. A reliable classification of the origin of such doubtful injuries is of crucial importance, a fact
that is especially true for the investigation of suspected homicide and/or mammade body mutilation after death. In forensic
pathology, the identification of injuries as caused by animals postmortem and the classification of a particular species as
responsible for a specific injury pattern under question is usually done by forensic pathologists with vast practical experience
and special knowledge of the appearance and morphology of tooth marks of carnivores and rodents, respectively. However, a
molecular biological investigation of such wounds could provide genetic evidence that an injury pattern present on a corpse
was truly caused postmortem by animal interference and thus support the pathologist's expertise. For this purpose, we developed
a panel of small species-specific short-tandem repeat systems (<150 bp) for animals typically involved in postmortem scavenging
of human remains, such as dogs and cats as well as wild-living rodents (mice and rats) having possible access to death scenes
inside apartments or buildings. A specific and sensitive cross-species multiplex polymerase chain reaction was then established
including the species-specific animal markers, thus enabling the genetic identification of wounds caused postmortem by different
animals on human remains.
This study was presented at the Sixth International Symposium in Advanced Legal Medicine (ISLAM), Hamburg, Germany, September
2006. |
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Keywords: | Forensic identification DNA postmortem animal scavenging cross-species multiplex polymerase chain reaction PCR canine- feline and rodent-specific short-tandem repeats |
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