An unusual cause of depressed skull fracture: case report

Camel-Related Deaths-A Forensic Overview

ABSTRACT

Camels are ungulates of the genus Camelus and have been used for centuries in parts of Asia and Africa for transport and sustenance. Handling of camels is not without its dangers, and 4 cases from South Australia are reported with a review of lethal camel-related issues. Case 1 is a 56-year-old man who died of multiple blunt force injuries after he had attempted to move a 7-year-old female dromedary (Camelus dromedarius). Case 2 is a 65-year-old woman who was crushed by 1 or more camels that she had been training. Case 3 is a 1-year-old girl who died of blunt craniocerebral trauma after the car in which she was traveling rolled when the driver swerved to avoid a herd of camels that had strayed onto the road. Case 4 is a 66-year-old woman who died of ischemic and hypertensive cardiac disease exacerbated by physical activity while rounding up camels. Deaths associated with camels involve kicking, stomping, kneeling or sitting on a victim, or biting and shaking and throwing. Lethal mechanisms include hemorrhage from vascular injuries and internal organ disruption, crush asphyxia, and blunt craniospinal injuries. Death may also follow falls from camels or vehicle collisions. Camels also carry a wide range of zoonotic diseases, the most significant of which is Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome. Handling of camels may also exacerbate underlying organic illnesses such as cardiac disease. Those working with camels should be aware that the size, strength, and temperament of these animals may make them dangerous and that they also carry potentially lethal zoonotic diseases.

Moose-Motor Vehicle Collision: A Continuing Hazard in Northern New England

BACKGROUND

Moose-motor vehicle collisions (MMVC) are especially dangerous to vehicle occupants because of the height and mass of the animal, which often collapses the roof and has a direct impact into the passenger compartment.

STUDY DESIGN

Public data on MMVC were obtained from the states of New England (NE), and trauma registry data from centers in NH and ME.

RESULTS

For all of NE, the annual incidence of reported MMVC has declined from a peak of >1,200 in 1998, but has still averaged >500 over the last 5 years, predominantly in ME, NH, and VT. Public education may have contributed to the decline, but the moose population has also apparently decreased due to environmental changes. In NE, MMVCs are most frequent in the summer months and evening hours. Maine data on crashes involving wild ungulates from 2003 to 2017 document 50,281 collisions with deer and 7,061 collisions with moose; 26 of the latter (0.37%) resulted in a human fatality. Logistic regression models demonstrate that vehicle occupant mortality, after controlling for multiple factors related to vehicle speed, is greatly increased when striking a moose rather than a deer (odds ratio [OR] 13.4, 95% CI 6.3, 28.7). In these data, there were no fatalities among occupants of Swedish cars, which are specifically engineered to tolerate MMVC. Three NH/ME trauma centers registered 124 cases of MMVC: median Injury Severity Score was 9; 5 patients died (4%); and 76 patients (61%) had injuries of the head, face, and/or cervical spine.

CONCLUSIONS

Moose-motor vehicle collisions remain a frequent and serious hazard to motor vehicle occupants in northern NE. Trauma services should recognize characteristic injury patterns. Continuing public education, cautious driving, and moose herd management are warranted.