1
|
Tambuzzi S, Maciocco F, Gentile G, Boracchi M, Bailo P, Marchesi M, Zoja R. Applications of microbiology to different forensic scenarios - A narrative review. J Forensic Leg Med 2023; 98:102560. [PMID: 37451142 DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2023.102560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
In contrast to other forensic disciplines, forensic microbiology is still too often considered a "side activity" and is not able to make a real and concrete contribution to forensic investigations. Indeed, the various application aspects of this discipline still remain a niche activity and, as a result, microbiological investigations are often omitted or only approximated, in part due to poor report in the literature. However, in certain situations, forensic microbiology can prove to be extremely effective, if not crucial, when all other disciplines fail. Precisely because microorganisms can represent forensic evidence, in this narrative review all the major pathological forensic applications described in the literature have been presented. The goal of our review is to highlight the versatility and transversality of microbiology in forensic science and to provide a comprehensive source of literature to refer to when needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Tambuzzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli, 37, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Francesca Maciocco
- Azienda Ospedaliera "San Carlo Borromeo", Servizio di Immunoematologia e Medicina Trasfusionale (SIMT), Via Pio II°, n. 3, Milano, Italy
| | - Guendalina Gentile
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli, 37, 20133, Milano, Italy.
| | - Michele Boracchi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli, 37, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Matteo Marchesi
- ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Piazza OMS 1, 24127, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Riccardo Zoja
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli, 37, 20133, Milano, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lin X, Liu X, Wu X, Xie X, Liu G, Wu J, Peng W, Wang R, Chen J, Huang H. Wide-spectrum antibiotic prophylaxis guarantees optimal outcomes in drowned donor kidney transplantation. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2023; 21:203-211. [PMID: 36573685 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2023.2163237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drowned victims possibly obtain various pathogens from drowning sites. Using drowned renal donors to expand the donor pool still lacks consensus due to the potential risk of disease transmission. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This retrospective study enrolled 38 drowned donor renal recipients in a large clinical center from August 2012 to February 2021. A 1:2 matched cohort was generated with donor demographics, including age, gender, BMI, and ICU durations. Donor microbiological results, recipient perioperative infections, and early post-transplant and first-year clinical outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS Compared to the control group, drowned donors had significantly increased positive fungal cultures (36.84% vs.13.15%, p = 0.039). Recipients in the drowned group had significantly higher rates of gram-negative bacteria (GNB) and multidrug-resistant GNB infections (23.68% vs.5.26%, 18.42% vs. 3.95%, both p < 0.05). Other colonization and infections were also numerically more frequent in the drowned group. Drowned donor recipients receiving inadequate antibiotic prophylaxis had more perioperative bloodstream infections, higher DGF incidences, and more first-year respiratory tract infections and recipient loss than those receiving adequate prophylaxis (all p < 0.05). Clinical outcomes were similar between the adequate group and the control group. CONCLUSIONS Drowned donors could be suitable options under wide-spectrum and adequate antimicrobial prophylaxis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Lin
- Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Institute of Nephrology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xinyu Liu
- Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Institute of Nephrology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoying Wu
- Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Institute of Nephrology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xishao Xie
- Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Institute of Nephrology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guangjun Liu
- Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Institute of Nephrology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianyong Wu
- Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Institute of Nephrology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wenhan Peng
- Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Institute of Nephrology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Zhejiang, China
| | - Rending Wang
- Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Institute of Nephrology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianghua Chen
- Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Institute of Nephrology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hongfeng Huang
- Kidney Disease Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease Prevention and Control Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Institute of Nephrology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Kidney and Urinary System Disease, Zhejiang, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yuan H, Wang Z, Wang Z, Zhang F, Guan D, Zhao R. Trends in forensic microbiology: From classical methods to deep learning. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1163741. [PMID: 37065115 PMCID: PMC10098119 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1163741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Forensic microbiology has been widely used in the diagnosis of causes and manner of death, identification of individuals, detection of crime locations, and estimation of postmortem interval. However, the traditional method, microbial culture, has low efficiency, high consumption, and a low degree of quantitative analysis. With the development of high-throughput sequencing technology, advanced bioinformatics, and fast-evolving artificial intelligence, numerous machine learning models, such as RF, SVM, ANN, DNN, regression, PLS, ANOSIM, and ANOVA, have been established with the advancement of the microbiome and metagenomic studies. Recently, deep learning models, including the convolutional neural network (CNN) model and CNN-derived models, improve the accuracy of forensic prognosis using object detection techniques in microorganism image analysis. This review summarizes the application and development of forensic microbiology, as well as the research progress of machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) based on microbial genome sequencing and microbial images, and provided a future outlook on forensic microbiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huiya Yuan
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-Evidence Science, Shenyang, China
| | - Ziwei Wang
- Department of Forensic Pathology, China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Zhi Wang
- Department of Forensic Pathology, China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Fuyuan Zhang
- Department of Forensic Pathology, China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine, Shenyang, China
| | - Dawei Guan
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-Evidence Science, Shenyang, China
- Department of Forensic Pathology, China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine, Shenyang, China
- *Correspondence: Dawei Guan
| | - Rui Zhao
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-Evidence Science, Shenyang, China
- Department of Forensic Pathology, China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine, Shenyang, China
- Rui Zhao
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Frisoni P, Diani L, De Simone S, Bosco MA, Cipolloni L, Neri M. Forensic Diagnosis of Freshwater or Saltwater Drowning Using the Marker Aquaporin 5: An Immunohistochemical Study. Medicina (B Aires) 2022; 58:medicina58101458. [PMID: 36295616 PMCID: PMC9610618 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58101458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Aquaporins are a family of water channel proteins. In this study, the renal and intrapulmonary expression of aquaporin-5 (AQP5) was examined in forensic autopsy cases to evaluate it as a drowning marker and to differentiate between freshwater drowning and saltwater drowning. Materials and Methods: Cases were classified into three groups: freshwater drowning (FWD), saltwater drowning (SWD), and controls (CTR). Samples were obtained from forensic autopsies at less than 72 h postmortem (15 FWD cases, 15 SWD cases, and 17 other cases) and were subjected to histological and immunohistochemical investigations. Results: In FWD group, intrapulmonary AQP5 expression was significantly suppressed compared with SWD and CTR; there was no significant difference in AQP5 expression among the other two groups. The same differences in expression were also observed in the kidney. Conclusions: These observations suggest that AQP5 expression in alveolar cells was suppressed by hypotonic water to prevent hemodilution. Moreover, it is possible to hypothesize that in the kidney, with the appearance of hypo-osmotic plasma, AQP5 is hypo-expressed, as a vital reaction, to regulate the renal reabsorption of water. In conclusion, the analysis of renal and intrapulmonary AQP5 expression would be forensically useful for differentiation between FWD and SWD, or between FWD and death due to other causes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Frisoni
- Unit of Legal Medicine, Azienda USL di Ferrara, Via Arturo Cassoli 30, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Luca Diani
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via del Pozzo 71, 41124 Modena, Italy
| | - Stefania De Simone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
| | - Maria Antonella Bosco
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
| | - Luigi Cipolloni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Margherita Neri
- Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Legal Medicine University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 70, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kumari P, Prakash P, Yadav S, Saran V. Microbiome analysis: An emerging forensic investigative tool. Forensic Sci Int 2022; 340:111462. [PMID: 36155349 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2022.111462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Microbial diversity's potential has been investigated in medical and therapeutic studies throughout the last few decades. However, its usage in forensics is increasing due to its effectiveness in circumstances when traditional approaches fail to provide a decisive opinion or are insufficient in forming a concrete opinion. The application of human microbiome may serve in detecting the type of stains of saliva and vaginal fluid, as well as in attributing the stains to the individual. Similarly, the microbiome makeup of a soil sample may be utilised to establish geographic origin or to associate humans, animals, or things with a specific area, additionally microorganisms influence the decay process which may be used in depicting the Time Since death. Further in detecting the traces of the amount and concentration of alcohol, narcotics, and other forensically relevant compounds in human body or visceral tissues as they also affect the microbial community within human body. Beside these, there is much more scope of microbiomes to be explored in terms of forensic investigation, this review focuses on multidimensional approaches to human microbiomes from a forensic standpoint, implying the potential of microbiomes as an emerging tool for forensic investigations such as individual variability via skin microbiomes, reconstructing crime scene, and linking evidence to individual.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pallavi Kumari
- Department of Forensic Science, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, India.
| | - Poonam Prakash
- Department of Forensic Science, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, India
| | - Shubham Yadav
- Department of Forensic Science, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, India
| | - Vaibhav Saran
- Department of Forensic Science, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, India
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
A novel approach for the forensic diagnosis of drowning by microbiological analysis with next-generation sequencing and unweighted UniFrac-based PCoA. Int J Legal Med 2020; 134:2149-2159. [PMID: 32617663 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-020-02358-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The diagnosis of drowning is one of the major challenges in forensic practice, especially when the corpse is in a state of decomposition. Novel indicators of drowning are desired in the field of forensic medicine. In the past decade, aquatic bacteria have attracted great attention from forensic experts because they can easily enter the blood circulation with drowning medium, and some of them can proliferate in the corpse. Recently, the advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has created new opportunities to efficiently analyze whole microbial communities and has catalyzed the development of forensic microbiology. We presumed that NGS could be a potential method for diagnosing drowning. In the present study, we verified this hypothesis by fundamental experiments in drowned and postmortem-submersed rat models. Our study revealed that detecting the bacterial communities with NGS and processing the data in a transparent way with unweighted UniFrac-based principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) could clearly discriminate the skin, lung, blood, and liver specimens of the drowning group and postmortem submersion group. Furthermore, the acquired information could be used to identify new cases. Taken together, these results suggest that we could build a microbial database of drowned and postmortem-submersed victims by NGS and subsequently use a bioinformatic method to diagnose drowning in future forensic practice.
Collapse
|
7
|
A new enzymatic method for extracting diatoms from organs of suspected drowning cases using papain: Optimal digestion and first practical application. Forensic Sci Int 2019; 297:204-216. [PMID: 30831412 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Diatom analysis is very effective for positive diagnosis of water inhalation in drowning. However, conventional strong acid diatom testing is laborious and potentially dangerous. We propose a simple, fast, and safe protocol using inexpensive reagents such as papain, SDS, and 5 N HCl for extracting diatoms from lung, kidney, and liver tissues. First, we determined optimal conditions for papain digestion using porcine tissues. Papain digestion was clearly superior to Proteinase K digestion. Next, for assessing the assay effectiveness in practical cases, the papain digestion protocol was applied to 80 tissue samples from 20 suspected drowning victims. Left and right lung tissues (1 g each) were digested in 15-mL conical centrifuge tubes. Kidney and liver tissues (10 g each) were extracted in 175-mL conical centrifuge bottles. Papain dissolved all organs sufficiently and permitted clear visualization of diatoms, although papain's solubilization activity was still inferior to strong acid digestion. The proposed enzymatic method requires only a low-speed centrifuge and water bath. Diatoms typically can be extracted from tissue samples within 3-5 h. The cost of protease is reduced some 6-fold by using papain in place of Proteinase K. Thus, the proposed method can be useful as a less-laborious, less-hazardous, and less-costly minimal test when the conventional strong acid digestion method is not performed due to personnel, equipment, budgetary limitation, or environmental and safety considerations.
Collapse
|
8
|
Oliveira M, Amorim A. Microbial forensics: new breakthroughs and future prospects. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2018; 102:10377-10391. [PMID: 30302518 PMCID: PMC7080133 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-018-9414-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in genetic data generation, through massive parallel sequencing (MPS), storage and analysis have fostered significant progresses in microbial forensics (or forensic microbiology). Initial applications in circumstances of biocrime, bioterrorism and epidemiology are now accompanied by the prospect of using microorganisms (i) as ancillary evidence in criminal cases; (ii) to clarify causes of death (e.g., drownings, toxicology, hospital-acquired infections, sudden infant death and shaken baby syndromes); (iii) to assist human identification (skin, hair and body fluid microbiomes); (iv) for geolocation (soil microbiome); and (v) to estimate postmortem interval (thanatomicrobiome and epinecrotic microbial community). When compared with classical microbiological methods, MPS offers a diverse range of advantages and alternative possibilities. However, prior to its implementation in the forensic context, critical efforts concerning the elaboration of standards and guidelines consolidated by the creation of robust and comprehensive reference databases must be undertaken.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Oliveira
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal. .,Ipatimup - Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho,45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal. .,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
| | - António Amorim
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Ipatimup - Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho,45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Simple detection of bacterioplankton using a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay: First practical approach to 72 cases of suspected drowning. Forensic Sci Int 2018; 289:289-303. [PMID: 29920446 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.05.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We developed a novel molecular tool for assisting the diagnosis of death by drowning and evaluated its validity in forensic practical cases. Two novel sets of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) primers were designed to detect either representative freshwater (Aeromonas) or marine (Vibrio, Photobacterium, Listonella) bacterioplankton (aquatic bacteria) in one tube using the LAMP technique. The assay involves only mixing template DNA with seven reagents and incubating at 64°C for 80min and does not require special or expensive equipment because detection is based on visual observation under natural light. The assay's excellent specificity was also demonstrated using 17 standard (control) strains and 124 other bacterial strains cultured from drowning and non-drowning victims in our previous studies. We then assayed 299 specimens (135 lung, 164 blood) from 72 victims, including 45 who had drowned in rivers, ditches, seas, and around estuaries. LAMP assay results could provide effective information to assist the diagnosis of death by drowning in practical cases. The LAMP assay would be useful for suspected drowning cases, as it is a less-laborious and less-expensive minimal test when death by drowning is sufficiently confirmed or negated from only autopsy findings and environmental data or when diatom testing is not performed due to logistic, personnel, or budgetary limitations. Moreover, the assay could serve as a simple additional test when the density of diatoms in the lungs is very low due to low density in the water.
Collapse
|
10
|
Levin E, Morgan R, Scott K, Jones V. The transfer of diatoms from freshwater to footwear materials: An experimental study assessing transfer, persistence, and extraction methods for forensic reconstruction. Sci Justice 2017; 57:349-360. [DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2017.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Revised: 04/29/2017] [Accepted: 05/13/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|
11
|
Abstract
After many years in the family Vibrionaceae, the genus Plesiomonas, represented by a single species, P. shigelloides, currently resides in the family Enterobacteriaceae, although its most appropriate phylogenetic position may yet to be determined. Common environmental reservoirs for plesiomonads include freshwater ecosystems and estuaries and inhabitants of these aquatic environs. Long suspected as being an etiologic agent of bacterial gastroenteritis, convincing evidence supporting this conclusion has accumulated over the past 2 decades in the form of a series of foodborne outbreaks solely or partially attributable to P. shigelloides. The prevalence of P. shigelloides enteritis varies considerably, with higher rates reported from Southeast Asia and Africa and lower numbers from North America and Europe. Reasons for these differences may include hygiene conditions, dietary habits, regional occupations, or other unknown factors. Other human illnesses caused by P. shigelloides include septicemia and central nervous system disease, eye infections, and a variety of miscellaneous ailments. For years, recognizable virulence factors potentially associated with P. shigelloides pathogenicity were lacking; however, several good candidates now have been reported, including a cytotoxic hemolysin, iron acquisition systems, and lipopolysaccharide. While P. shigelloides is easy to identify biochemically, it is often overlooked in stool samples due to its smaller colony size or relatively low prevalence in gastrointestinal samples. However, one FDA-approved PCR-based culture-independent diagnostic test system to detect multiple enteropathogens (FilmArray) includes P. shigelloides on its panel. Plesiomonads produce β-lactamases but are typically susceptible to many first-line antimicrobial agents, including quinolones and carbapenems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Michael Janda
- Kern County Public Health Laboratory, Department of Public Health Services, Bakersfield, California, USA
| | - Sharon L Abbott
- Microbial Diseases Laboratory, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, California, USA
| | - Christopher J McIver
- Microbiology Department (SEALS), St. George Hospital, Kogarah, and School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, NSW, Sydney, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Detection of bacterioplankton using PCR probes as a diagnostic indicator for drowning; the Leicester experience. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2015; 17:401-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2015.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2015] [Revised: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
|
13
|
Kakizaki E, Yukawa N. Simple protocol for extracting diatoms from lung tissues of suspected drowning cases within 3 h: First practical application. Forensic Sci Int 2015; 251:179-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2014] [Revised: 12/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
14
|
Kakizaki E, Ogura Y, Kozawa S, Nishida S, Uchiyama T, Hayashi T, Yukawa N. Detection of diverse aquatic microbes in blood and organs of drowning victims: first metagenomic approach using high-throughput 454-pyrosequencing. Forensic Sci Int 2012; 220:135-46. [PMID: 22424673 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2012.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2011] [Revised: 01/26/2012] [Accepted: 02/14/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Current 454-pyrosequencing technology enables massive parallel sequencing. We used this technology to investigate the diversity of aquatic microbes in 14 specimens (blood and organs) of two drowning victims and in two water samples taken from the discovery sites. The 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes of microbes, which are often used to identify species (or genera), have nine highly variable regions (V1-V9), each of which is surrounded by conserved regions. Some parts within the conserved regions are common over domains of microbes, such as between bacteria and algae (16S rRNA genes on algal chloroplast genomes). We therefore simultaneously amplified the target regions (V7 and V8) of various microbes in the blood and organs of drowning victims using PCR with custom-designed primers that were based on the conserved regions. We then exhaustively analyzed the PCR products by pyrosequencing using the Genome Sequencer FLX Titanium system (Roche-454 Life Sciences). This approach identified a wide array of bacteria including cyanobacteria and algae including Bacillariophyceae (diatom), Cryptophyceae, Dictyochophyceae, Chrysophyceae and Trebouxiophyceae in the blood and organs of the victims and water at discovery sites. Our data further indicated that when conventional diatom testing of lungs yielded insufficient evidence of water aspiration, the detection of various exogenous microbes by 454-pyrosequencing is very useful to support a conclusion of death by drowning. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to use a new generation sequencer to investigate diverse aquatic microbes in the blood and closed organs of drowning victims.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eiji Kakizaki
- Division of Legal Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, 5200 Kihara, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Kakizaki E, Kozawa S, Imamura N, Uchiyama T, Nishida S, Sakai M, Yukawa N. Detection of marine and freshwater bacterioplankton in immersed victims: Post-mortem bacterial invasion does not readily occur. Forensic Sci Int 2011; 211:9-18. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2011.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2010] [Revised: 03/16/2011] [Accepted: 03/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
16
|
Applications for Drowning Identification by Planktonic Diatom Test on Rats in Forensic Medicine. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.proeng.2011.11.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
17
|
Immunohistochemical examination of intracerebral aquaporin-4 expression and its application for differential diagnosis between freshwater and saltwater drowning. Int J Legal Med 2010; 125:59-65. [PMID: 21069372 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-010-0523-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2010] [Accepted: 10/18/2010] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Human brain samples were collected from 70 autopsy cases including 22 freshwater drowning (FWD), 26 saltwater drowning (SWD), and 22 non-drowning cases as controls. Then, immunohistochemical study combined with morphometry was carried out in order to examine the differential expression of AQP1 and AQP4 in the brain samples. Immunohistochemically, star-shaped cells bearing highly branched processes, often surrounding blood vessels, showed positive reactions for AQP1 and AQP4 in FWD, SWD, as well as control groups. Additionally, with double-color immunofluorescence analysis, AQP1- or AQP4-positive cells could be identified as GFAP-positive astrocytes. Moreover, AQP1-positive reaction was also observed in blood vessels. Morphometrically, there were no significant differences in AQP1 expression in astrocytes or in blood vessels among the three groups. In contrast, the average value of AQP4-positive astrocytes was significantly higher in FWD cases than in SWD and control groups. Moreover, AQP4 expression was significantly lower in SWD than in the control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, there was no significant correlation between post-submerged interval and AQP expression in drowning cases. Therefore, immunohistochemical analysis of intracerebral AQP4 expression would be forensically useful for differentiation between FWD and SWD.
Collapse
|