University of Leicester
Browse

Detection of bacterioplankton using PCR probes as a diagnostic indicator for drowning; the Leicester experience.

Download (611.75 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2015-06-04, 09:02 authored by Guy N. Rutty, Carina J. Bradley, Mike J. P. Biggs, Frances E. Hollingbury, Stuart J. Hamilton, Roger D. G. Malcomson, Christopher W. Holmes
Bodies found immersed in water can pose difficulties to the investigating authorities. Pathologists may be assisted with the diagnosis by the use of tests such as the analysis for diatoms or the levels of strontium in the blood, although there is a recognised level of uncertainty associated with these tests. Recent work from Japan has shown that using molecular approaches, most recently real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays with TaqMan probes for bacterioplankton, it is possible to undertake rapid, less laborious, high throughput tests to differentiate freshwater from marine bacterioplankton and in doing so provide a molecular diagnostic test to assist in the diagnosis of drowning. We report the experiences of a United Kingdom forensic pathology unit in the use of this PCR based system for the diagnosis of drowning. We applied this technique to 20 adult and child cadavers from 4 bath, 12 freshwater, 2 brackish and 2 salt water scenes both from within the United Kingdom and abroad. Drowning was concluded to be the cause of death in 16 of these 20 cases and the PCR method supported this conclusion in 12 of these 16 cases. The PCR did not provide evidence of drowning in the four cases where death was from other causes. We illustrate that this PCR method provides a rapid diagnostic supportive test for the diagnosis of drowning that can be applied to United Kingdom autopsy practice.

History

Citation

Legal Medicine

Author affiliation

/Organisation/COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND PSYCHOLOGY/School of Medicine/Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine

Version

  • AM (Accepted Manuscript)

Published in

Legal Medicine

Publisher

Elsevier for Japanese Society of Legal Medicine

issn

1344-6223

Acceptance date

2015-06-03

Available date

2016-06-23

Publisher version

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1344622315000711

Language

en

Usage metrics

    University of Leicester Publications

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC