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Bambaradeniya TB, Magni PA, Dadour IR. A Summary of Concepts, Procedures and Techniques Used by Forensic Entomologists and Proxies. INSECTS 2023; 14:536. [PMID: 37367352 DOI: 10.3390/insects14060536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Forensic entomology is a branch of forensic science that incorporates insects as a part of solving crime. Insect-based evidence recovered at a crime scene can be used to estimate the minimum postmortem interval, determine if a carcass/corpse has been relocated, and contribute to the cause and manner of death. The current review summarises the stepwise usage of forensic entomology methods at a crime scene and in the laboratory, including specimen collection and rearing, identification, xenobiotic detection, documentation, and referencing previous research and casework. It also provides three standards for the collection of insects when attending a crime scene. The Gold standard attributes to a forensic entomologist (FE) who is likely to be well-trained attending a scene. The subsequent standards (Silver and Bronze) have been added because the authors believe that this information is currently missing in the literature. The purpose is so that an attending crime scene agent/proxy with some basic knowledge and some simple tools can recover almost all the insect information required by an FE to make the best estimation of the minimum postmortem interval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tharindu B Bambaradeniya
- School of Medical, Molecular & Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Paola A Magni
- School of Medical, Molecular & Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Ian R Dadour
- School of Medical, Molecular & Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
- Source Certain, P.O. Box 1570, Wangara, WA 6947, Australia
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Bugelli V, Tarozzi I, Galante N, Bortolini S, Franceschetti L. Review on forensic importance of myiasis: Focus on medicolegal issues on post-mortem interval estimation and neglect evaluation. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2023; 63:102263. [PMID: 37126932 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2023.102263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Myiasis is the infestation of live vertebrates by dipterous larvae that feed on living or necrotic tissues, liquid body substances or ingested food and develop in or on the vertebrate body. In both animals and humans, myiasis plays a fundamental role in forensic practice because of its implications in the evaluation of cases of neglect and in the mPMI (minimum post-mortem interval) estimation. The present study aims to provide a review of forensic issues related to myiasis. A retrospective analysis was conducted by exploring major electronic literature databases. Methodological evaluation of each study was performed according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses) standards. Sixty-one papers were included in this review. Entomology shows great potentiality in forensic investigations, mostly because of its contributory role in mPMI estimation. Such evaluation, however, requires a careful consideration of the possibility of an ante-mortem myiasis infestation, which could complicate the correct assessment of the mPMI. Hence, forensic pathologists should pay attention to the entomological fauna on a corpse, in both fresh and decomposed bodies. Moreover, in cases with poor nutritional or hygienic conditions, myiasis should be carefully evaluated as an indicator of neglect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Bugelli
- SOUTH-EAST TUSCANY Local Health Unit, Department of Legal Medicine, Grosseto, Italy
| | - Ilaria Tarozzi
- MODENA Local Health Unit, Department of Legal Medicine and Risk Management, Modena, Italy
| | - Nicola Galante
- Institute of Legal Medicine Milan, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Heath, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
| | | | - Lorenzo Franceschetti
- Institute of Legal Medicine Milan, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Heath, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Heath, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Shang Y, Amendt J, Wang Y, Ren L, Yang F, Zhang X, Zhang C, Guo Y. Multimethod combination for age estimation of Sarcophaga peregrina (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) with implications for estimation of the postmortem interval. Int J Legal Med 2023; 137:329-344. [PMID: 36538108 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-022-02934-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Sarcophaga peregrina (Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) is a forensically important flesh fly with potential value for estimating the minimum postmortem interval (PMImin). Here, the developmental patterns of S. peregrina were investigated at 5 constant temperatures (15-35 °C). Morphological changes at different developmental stages of the pupa were observed at 4 constant temperatures (15-30 °C) by removing the puparium and staining the pupa with hematoxylin and eosin. Furthermore, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed at 25 °C in the intrapuparial period to estimate the age of S. peregrina during the intrapuparial stage. S. peregrina completed development from larviposition to adult eclosion at 15 °C, 20 °C, 25 °C, and 30 °C; the developmental durations were 1090.3 ± 30.6 h, 566.6 ± 21.9 h, 404.6 ± 13.01 h, and 280.3 ± 4.5 h, respectively, while the development could not be completed at 35 °C. The intrapuparial period of S. peregrina was divided into 12 sub-stages on the basis of the overall external morphological changes; 6 sub-stages on the basis of individual morphological structures such as the compound eyes, antennae, thorax, legs, wings, and abdomen; and 10 sub-stages on the basis of internal morphological changes detected using histological analysis. The period of each sub-stage or structure that appeared was determined. Moreover, we found that 6 genes (NDUFS2, CPAMD8, NDUFV2, Hsp27, Hsp23, and TPP) with differential expression can be used for the precise age estimation of S. peregrina during the intrapuparial period. This study provided basic developmental data for the use of S. peregrina in PMImin estimation, and we successfully estimated PMImin in a real forensic case by using a multimethod combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Shang
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Jens Amendt
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University, Kennedyallee 104, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Soochow University, Ganjiang East Road, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Lipin Ren
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Fengqin Yang
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Xiangyan Zhang
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Changquan Zhang
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
| | - Yadong Guo
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
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Bulut M, Zeybekoğlu Ü, Kökdener M. Effects of Tissue Type and Temperature on Selected Life-History Traits of the Flesh Fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis (Macquart, 1839) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 59:1921-1927. [PMID: 36256537 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjac149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The flesh fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis Macquart 1839 (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), colonizes estimation of the minimum post-mortem interval (min-PMI). This study examined the effects of different types of tissues and temperature on the development of S. crassipalpis. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to investigate the effects of life-history information of S. crassipalpis. Larvae were reared on three tissue types, chicken heart, bovine minced meat, and bovine tongue, at five temperatures, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 32°C. Pupal and larval development time, adult weight, and pupal and larval survival differed significantly for tissue type and temperature. Temperature had a significant effect on pupal weight but tissue type did not significantly affect pupal weight. The duration of the larval and pupal stages (except of chicken heart, 30°C) decreased with increasing temperature, except for 32°C, in all tissue types. Larval survival was lowest at 32°C in bovine minced meat, bovine tongue, and chicken heart, and at 32°C, all pupae failed to reach the adult stage in minced meat. The results of this study highlight the necessity of considering larval diet and temperature in forensic investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meltem Bulut
- Biology Department, Science Faculty, Ondokuz Mayıs University, 55139, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Ünal Zeybekoğlu
- Biology Department, Science Faculty, Ondokuz Mayıs University, 55139, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Meltem Kökdener
- Forensic Science Program, Graduate Education Institute, Ondokuz Mayıs University, 55139, Samsun, Turkey
- Health Science Faculty, Ondokuz Mayıs University, 55139, Samsun, Turkey
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Bandara WRUA, Karunaratne WAIP, Fuward RM, Dangolla A, Yasakeerthi ADH. Estimating colonization time of maggots infesting wounds in dogs: three case studies. CANADIAN SOCIETY OF FORENSIC SCIENCE JOURNAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/00085030.2022.2043521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- W. R. U. A. Bandara
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | | | - R. M. Fuward
- Government Veterinary Hospital, Gatambe, Sri Lanka
| | - A. Dangolla
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine & Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - A. D. H. Yasakeerthi
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine & Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
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