Death due to swine influenza: A forensic autopsy report.

ABSTRACT

A 29 year male who was working in army (soldier) at Pune, came to his house at Tarntaran (Punjab) on vacations to meet his family where he developed high grade fever, cough, dyspnoea, and was admitted in a private hospital. He was clinically suspected to be suffering from bilateral viral pneumonitis but the diagnosis of viral pneumonitis was never confirmed by laboratory tests in spite of admission in a hospital. Later on he died & the police was informed about his death. The police completed the inquest U/S 174CrPC & the dead body was shifted to the mortuary of Govt. Medical College, Amritsar for post mortem examination. A team of autopsy surgeons conducted the post mortem examination. The dead body was examined; nasal & pharyngeal swabs along with blood sample were taken from deceased and were sent to virology Deptt. , Post Graduate Institute, Chandigarh. The laboratory report mentioned the findings in favor of H1N1 virus & cause of death was declared as asphyxia as a result of viral Pneumonia (Species Swine Flu).