Postmortem detectability and viability of SARS-CoV-2 virus in various biological specimens

Introduction Without a comprehensive postmortem investigation it is impossible to determine the cause of death among the SARS-CoV-2-suspected and-positive patients. We present two cases to discuss the postmortem detectability of SARS-CoV-2 virus and RNA stability in biological samples. Outline of cases Case No. 1: a 40-year-old man on whom the autopsy was performed four days after death. The body was stored at 4°C. Bilateral pneumonia was confirmed grossly and histopathologicaly. Molecular testing was positive for IgM antibodies, but negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Case No. 2: a 28-year-old profes-sional basketball player who suffered from SARS-CoV-2 about a month earlier. The autopsy was performed two days after death. The body was stored at 15°C. Gross autopsy findings revealed advanced putrefactive changes and an enlarged heart, with visible fibrotic focuses. The histopathological finding corresponded to the sudden cardiovascular death due to the cardiac dysrhythmia most probably formed in one of the fibrotic focuses. Tests for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antibodies (IgM, IgG) were positive in the analyzed samples. Conclusion This report suggests that SARS-CoV-2 virus can be isolated in the biological samples even after a long post-mortem prolongation of molecular analyses. We emphasize the necessity of wider studies that will define the infectiveness and biological stability of the virus in postmortem tissues. © 2023, Serbia Medical Society. All rights reserved.

Leading Pathogens Involved in Co-Infection and Super-Infection with COVID-19: Forensic Medicine Considerations after a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns about the potential for co-infection or over-infection with other respiratory infections, as they can complicate the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of the disease. This is also a challenge for forensic pathologists, who may come across cases where the presence of co-infection or over-infection is suspected or confirmed, and it is important that they take this into account when determining the cause of death. The aim of this systematic review is to analyse the prevalence of each specific pathogen co-infecting or over-infecting patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. In total, 575 studies were selected from the Scopus and Pub-Med online databases and 8 studies were included in a meta-analysis. Male gender, advanced age and nursing home care are risk factors associated with the development of co-infection, whereas age, tachypnoea, hypoxaemia and bacterial infection are predictors of mortality. Overall, however, having a SARS-CoV-2 infection does not represent a real risk for the development of co-infections/super-infections.

Generalized Eosinophilia Following Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Administration: A Case Report.

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) vaccination is considered an important part in improving health outcomes globally. While various adverse events following vaccination against COVID-19 have been reported, eosinophilic diseases have rarely been documented in the literature and are poorly understood. Although vaccination is lauded as being "safe," it has become apparent that adverse reactions related to the vaccines can have detrimental health effects for certain individuals. We present a case of a death related to multiple severe preexisting comorbidities, complicated by new-onset gastrointestinal complaints which were temporally associated with recent COVID-19 vaccination and did not subside, but worsened prior to death. Autopsy revealed evidence of eosinophilic enteritis, associated with ascites, as well as eosinophilic inflammation elsewhere, including the lungs and heart. Histological examination revealed abundant eosinophils in tissues, including the small intestines, epicardium, and lungs. Whether or not the eosinophilic inflammatory process was caused by the recent vaccination cannot be stated with certainty; however, the temporal association between vaccination, symptom onset/progression, and death, and the literature which suggests a possible association between coronavirus vaccination and eosinophilic reactions leads to the conclusion that this death might have been related to an adverse reaction to COVID-19 vaccination.

[Distance teaching of forensic medicine at the department of medical university during the COVID-19 pandemic]. / Distantsionnoe prepodavanie sudebnoi meditsiny na kafedre meditsinskogo universiteta v period pandemii COVID-19.

The purpose of the work is to share the experience of distance teaching of forensic medicine. Teaching of forensic medicine throughout the history of the department of forensic medicine of the medical faculty of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University Research Medical University took place exclusively on the intramural basis. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has made its adjustments and teaching became remote. This situation required adoption of urgent measures to organize a high-quality and continuous process of student's teaching. The measures included preparation and formation of all necessary material equivalent to full-time classes in the electronic format; compilation and development of instructions and algorithms for students and teachers on the cycle and development of uncredited or missed classes in a remote format; creation of groups in instant messengers with students and a teacher; organization of online classes using conferencing applications; recording a full course of lectures (available in students' personal accounts); creation of the possibility of online testing of the level of initial and acquired knowledge of students in two languages (In Russian and English). The experience of conducting classes in remote mode is generally positive, the measures taken have brought training to a qualitatively new level.

Role of forensic medicine in addressing the war crimes: Perspective from Russia-Ukraine conflict during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The International Criminal Court has recently opened an investigation into the international crimes committed on Ukrainian territory. The ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war is a tragic opportunity for a necessary critical and scientific reading of the Rome Statute. In our work, we aim to critically analyse the contents of the International Criminal Court's Rome Statute, with particular attention to the definition and listing of war crimes. Our objective is to assess whether the content of the Rome Statute and the Geneva Convention is useful to provide a correct and complete orientation of the medico-legal work in the context of war. We believe, in fact, that the forensic pathologists, and forensic experts in general, are the only professional figures specialised in providing scientific evidence of crimes compatible with war crimes. Their timely intervention and the standardisation of their work - in association with a review of the deficient content found in the Rome Statute - is essential in order to allow the prosecution of international crimes, already potentially undermined by the slowdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic that is the backdrop to the current conflict.

Postmortem lung and heart examination of COVID-19 patients in a case series from Jordan.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a pandemic for more than 2 years. Autopsy examination is an invaluable tool to understand the pathogenesis of emerging infections and their consequent mortalities. The aim of the current study was to present the lung and heart pathological findings of COVID-19-positive autopsies performed in Jordan. METHODS: The study involved medicolegal cases, where the cause of death was unclear and autopsy examination was mandated by law. We included the clinical and pathologic findings of routine gross and microscopic examination of cases that were positive for COVID-19 at time of death. Testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed through molecular detection by real-time polymerase chain reaction, serologic testing for IgM and electron microscope examination of lung samples. RESULTS: Seventeen autopsies were included, with male predominance (76.5%), Jordanians (70.6%), and 50 years as the mean age at time of death. Nine out of 16 cases (56.3%) had co-morbidities, with one case lacking such data. Histologic examination of lung tissue revealed diffuse alveolar damage in 13/17 cases (76.5%), and pulmonary microthrombi in 8/17 cases (47.1%). Microscopic cardiac findings were scarcely detected. Two patients died as a direct result of acute cardiac disease with limited pulmonary findings. CONCLUSIONS: The detection of SARS-CoV-2 in postmortem examination can be an incidental or contributory finding which highlights the value of autopsy examination to determine the exact cause of death in controversial cases.

Bibliometric analysis of post-traumatic stress disorder in forensic medicine: Research trends, hot spots, and prospects.

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has various risk factors, complex pathogenesis, and diverse symptoms, and is often comorbid with other injuries and diseases, making forensic diagnosis difficult. Methods: To explore the current research status and trends of PTSD, we used the Web of Science Core Collection databases to screen PTSD-related literature published between 2010 and 2021 and CiteSpace to perform bibliometric analysis. Results: In recent years, PTSD-related research has grown steadily. The countries and institutions with the most research results were the United States and England, and King's College London and Boston University, respectively. Publications were identified from 2,821 different journals, including 13 forensic-related journals, but the journal distribution was relatively scattered and there was a lack of professional core journals. Keyword co-occurrence and clustering identified many hot topics; "rat model," "mental health," and "satisfaction" were the topics most likely to have a clear effect on future research. Analysis extracted nine turning points from the literature that suggested that neural network centers, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and biomarkers were new research directions. It was found that COVID-19 can cause severe psychological stress and induce PTSD, but the relationship needs further study. The literature on stress response areas and biomarkers has gradually increased over time, but specific systemic neural brain circuits and biomarkers remain to be determined. Conclusion: There is a need to expand the collection of different types of biological tissue samples from patients with different backgrounds, screen PTSD biomarkers and molecular targets using multi-omics and molecular biology techniques, and establish PTSD-related molecular networks. This may promote a systematic understanding of the abnormal activation of neural circuits in patients with PTSD and help to establish a personalized, accurate, and objective forensic diagnostic standard.

Postmortem PF4 antibodies confirm a rare case of thrombosis thrombocytopenia syndrome associated with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 anti-COVID vaccination.

We report a case of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, bilateral adrenal hemorrhage, and thrombocytopenia in a 70-year-old man found dead. He had previously received the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (Vaxzevria®, AstraZeneca) 18 days before, and had since developed unspecific and undiagnosed characteristics of what proved to be a rare case of vaccine-associated thrombocytopenia with thrombosis syndrome (TTS). He was found dead 1 week after the beginning of symptoms (day 25 post-vaccine). Autopsy yielded venous hemorrhagic infarction with the presence of thrombi within dural venous sinuses, and extensive hemorrhagic necrosis of the central part of the adrenal glands. Antibodies against platelet factor 4 (PF4) were strongly positive in postmortem fluids, as measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This difficult diagnosis is usually made during the patient's lifetime. After eliminating differential diagnoses, we concluded on a fatal case of vaccine-induced immune TTS with positive anti-PF4 antibodies in cadaveric blood, 3 weeks after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination. Specific search for anti-PF4 antibodies in cadaveric blood appears therefore paramount to assess postmortem cases of TTS associated with anti-COVID vaccines.

A Retrospective Study of Findings and Challenges in Conduction of Covid-19-Positive Autopsies

Objectives: In this article, we report our observations as well as the innovations which were adapted in the resource-limited settings which are present in most parts of the country. The standard protocols were adopted for complete COVID-19 autopsies that were conducted. Method(s): The present retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Government Medical College, Amritsar. The medicolegal autopsies were conducted completely in confirmed positive COVID-19 cases. In the medicolegal cases, complete autopsies were conducted, where the investigating officers did not forgo the autopsy. A total of ten COVID-positive autopsies were conducted from July 2020 to August 2021. Result(s): Gross findings of various organs during autopsy include that of lungs showing relatively unremarkable lungs with mild edema and consolidation, brain showing edema, and subarachnoid hemorrhage, pancreas showing necrotic and hemorrhagic changes, and kidneys flea-bitten and were contracted. Conclusion(s): Although a complete autopsy is desired to provide the best possible understanding of the disease process, its variants, such as core biopsies and echopsies, can be taken up as safer alternatives, especially in resource-limited centres. Experience, preparation, and experience are the significant vital aspects which help in managing the COVID-19-positive autopsy. The institution needs to develop guidelines as well as standard operating procedures for the smooth and safe conduct of autopsies in COVID-19 dead bodies. Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Innovare Academic Sciences Pvt Ltd.

The Role of Forensic Medicine in Responding to Emergencies and New Major Epidemics.

In recent years, human beings are constantly facing the threat of emerging infectious diseases. Forensic technology plays a unique role in responding to the emergencies and new epidemics. In epidemic prevention and control, forensic partitioners can provide important clues for the identification of vector animal species and the traceability of pathogen regions based on non-human DNA testing technology. In epidemic-related judicial practice, forensic partitioners bear more and more evidence responsibilities in dealing with biosafety laws-related issues, such as improper handling of epidemics and vaccine safety issues, which require forensic evidence. In terms of pathogen tracing, forensic physical evidence examinations identify species and individuals through biological materials extracted from the scene of death and autopsy of infectious diseases, are expected to provide informative clues for epidemiological investigations and point out the direction for pathogen tracing. In addition, forensic pathological examination can provide an important pathophysiological basis for determining the cause of death and the mechanism of death through autopsy, also offer necessary scientific evidence for clarifying the epidemiological characteristics of the epidemic and predicting the development trend of the epidemic.

An unusual rise in cases of assault in ophthalmic practice during COVID-19 lockdown in a tertiary care hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to report an unusual rise in cases of assault with ocular injury and their medicolegal implications presenting in an eye department of a tertiary care hospital during COVID-19 lockdown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective, observational case series was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi. Data were retrieved from the medicolegal records of the patients from April 1, 2019, to July 31, 2019, and similar months in 2020. We included all the patients of assault with ocular injury as alleged, registered as medicolegal cases. Patients with accidental injuries were excluded from the study. RESULTS: There was 34.3% increase in cases of assault with ocular injury as alleged with 72.35% reduction in the outpatient department patients. The ratio of cases of assault in 2019 and 2020 is 1:4.62. The mean age of the patients in the lockdown year was 33.74 ± 11.9 standard deviation (SD) and in preCOVID year 2019 was 39.74 ± 15.9 SD. Blunt trauma was experienced by 57 (66.3%) and penetrating injury in 2 (2.3%) patients. Sixteen (18.6%) patients had no ocular involvement. Home was the place of assault in 32 (37.2%) and street in 27 (31.4%) individuals. Fist was the source of assault in 46 (53.3%) and rod or stick in 15 (17.4%) individuals. CONCLUSION: There is a fourfold increase in patients of assault during 4 months of COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 as compared to the same time period in 2019. Most of these patients were young age, male gender, and uneducated. The most common place of incident was home, and fist was the most common source of infliction. Most of the injuries were superficial and had minimum effect on visual acuity.

FORENSIC PERSPECTIVE OF THE COVID PANDEMIC IMPACT ON THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE

Objectives. The present research is a longitudinal study with the aim of highlighting the effect of the pandemic on the frequency of aggressions from a forensic perspective. The hypothesis started from the premise that the aggressions showed an increasing trend during the pandemic, indicating a significant difference between the number of aggressions in the previous period and the number of aggressions in the pandemic and post-pandemic period. Population. The sample of the study consisted of 420 people who were identified by forensic findings at the Institute of Forensic Medicine of Cluj Napoca, as victims of aggression between 2019-2022. The results showed significant differences in the number of aggressions during the pandemic period resulting in an upward trend. Conclusions. The pandemic period had a significant impact on aggressive behaviors, with a tendency of an increased number of aggressions.

COVID-19 & INDIAN MEDICAL STUDENTS: A SURVEY ON THEIR KNOWLEDGE & PERCEPTION REGARDING DEAD BODY MANAGEMENT OF COVID-19 PATIENTS

Background: Since December 2019, a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) began its journey around the world. Since then, many efforts are being carried out to contain the virus. Knowledge and attitude of people should be directed towards strict preventive practices in order to halt the spread of the virus. Medical students, as frontline healthcare workers, are more susceptible to be infected by the virus. The aim of the current cross-sectional study is to assess the knowledge, practice and attitude of 2nd year medical students from medical college in tribal part of Gujarat, India, regarding dead body management of covid-19 patients. Methods: A self-designed questionnaire consisting of 19 questions was developed and given to the students. The knowledge, attitude, and practice of the participants were investigated. Results: A total of 235 medical students completed the questionnaire. Out of the total participants (n=235), 133(56.6%) were male and 102(43.4%) were female. 88.9% of students knew the fact that covid-19 dead body is infective, 94.5% students are aware about specific guidelines for dead body management of covid-19 patients, 40% students have no knowledge about Medico-legal Autopsy of COVID 19 case will be conducted strictly by avoiding any invasive surgical procedures. Conclusion: We found a high level of COVID-19 related knowledge and self-reported preventive behaviors and moderate risk perception among 2nd year medical students, which is easily available on social media, internet and printed media. But they are very poor in specific knowledge which is given in Dead body management guidelines.

An illicit drug early warning system utilising comprehensive toxicological analysis of emergency department presentations in Victoria, Australia

Objective: In response to the evolving threat of illicit drug use, combined with anticipated SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemicrelated market volatility, we created a multi-institution network supplying high-quality data on illicit drug presentations to Victorian emergency departments (EDs). Primary objective: timely data provision to a state Early Warning System (EWS) utilising multiple intelligence sources (including syringe residue and wastewater analysis) to inform public health interventions. Methods: The Emerging Drugs Network of Australia VIC (EDNAV) project is a multi-site prospective observational study collating de-identified clinical and analytical information within an electronic clinical registry (Research Electronic Data Capture secure web-based software platform). Case inclusion criteria: individuals ≥16 years of age presenting with suspected illicit drug toxicity requiring venepuncture as part of standard care. Hospital ethics committee approved waiver of patient consent for inclusion of deidentified data. Nine metropolitan and one regional ED contributed blood samples for weekly toxicological analysis at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine. Liquid chromatographytandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) screened for 327 pharmaceuticals and illicit substances, as well as 268 novel psychoactive substances. EDNAV data was reviewed weekly as a component of the state EWS. High-risk signals were disseminated to government and external stakeholders. Results: During September 2020 - March 2021, 320 cases were analysed (70% male, mean age 30 years, 72% ambulance arrival). Sedation (Glasgow Coma Score (GCS)<9, 35%) and agitation (33%) were the commonest reasons for presentation;33% of patients required parenteral sedation, and 18% were administered naloxone. In addition, 8% were intubated and 11% required critical care admission;85% had a Poisoning Severity Score of ≥2. There were two deaths. There were 815 separate detections (345 illicit substances, 470 pharmaceuticals). At least one illicit drug was detected in 87% of cases (> 1 illicit drug in 43%). Common illicit drugs included methylamphetamine (52% of cases), gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), cocaine and opioids. Eight novel benzodiazepines, 7 cathinones, 5 hallucinogens, 3 synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) and one novel opioid (Beta-U10) were detected. In 90% of cases, reported exposure differed from analytical findings. During COVID-19 related lockdowns, there was evidence of substance substitution including benzodiazepines in products sold as heroin. Three public health warnings were released in association with EDNAV findings (Nethylpentylone in cocaine, 25B-NBOH sold as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), paramethoxymethamphetamine (PMMA) sold as MDMA). Conclusion: For the first time in Victoria, a network of healthcare institutions working together enabled timely detection of illicit drug related harm, facilitating early public health warnings and notification of peer-based harm reduction services.

Comorbidities and autopsy findings of COVID-19 deaths and their association with time to death: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Examination of postmortem findings can help establish effective therapeutic strategies to reduce mortality. The aim of this study was therefore to review complete autopsy cases and their postmortem findings and comorbidities associated with death caused by COVID-19, in order to establish a profile of the deceased and the likelihood of time to death. METHODS: A systematic review was carried out following the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and meets Cochrane criteria recommendations (PROSPERO registration number CRD 42020209649). An electronic search in the databases Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library, and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) was performed. RESULTS: The search strategy yielded a total of 25 articles where 140 cases of complete autopsies were reported. The most prevalent comorbidity was vascular diseases. Patients with vascular disease, heart disease, and diabetes died significantly in a shorter period of time. Autopsies mainly focused on the lungs. The proliferative phase of Diffuse Alveolar Damage (DAD) was the most reported in the microscopic postmortem findings, and these patients died in a shorter period of time. However, individuals aged over 80 years significantly presented fibrotic phase of DAD at the time of death. The kidney was the second most affected organ with thrombosis and tubular damage, followed by the liver with congestion and necrosis. CONCLUSION: Given that accurate information of complete autopsies findings is still scarce, it is necessary to perform complete autopsies by examining organs other than the lungs in order to provide information to improve new treatment strategies in patients with a high risk of mortality.

Executive Summary of the XXIII Annual State Conference of Medicolegal Association of Maharashtra (MLAM): Forensicon 2020

The XXIII Annual State conference of Medicolegal Association of Maharashtra (MLAM)-FORENSICON 2020 was hosted virtually by the Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, T.N.M.C. & B.Y.L. Nair Ch. Hospital, Mumbai as a part of the Centenary year celebrations of the Institute on 10th and 11th April 2021. The intent of the conference was to educate and stimulate the postgraduates and faculty regarding newer pursuits in the field of Forensic Medicine. More than 500 delegates attended the conference, which included experts from the field as well as clinical practitioner’s and medical officers who were inclined towards Forensic Medicine. The e-release of the souvenir & MLAM Official Journal-Journal of Forensic Medicine, Science & Law was done at the same time. Sessions were conducted by dividing the lectures into Ante-mortem, Post-mortem and Academics. Engrossing topics were chosen which were delivered by established experts of that field. On day two of the conference, oral and poster presentations were done by faculty, postgraduate students and undergraduate students. © 2021, Medicolegal Association of Maharashtra. All rights reserved.

Robotic Tissue Sampling for Safe Post-Mortem Biopsy in Infectious Corpses.

In pathology and legal medicine, the histopathological and microbiological analysis of tissue samples from infected deceased is a valuable information for developing treatment strategies during a pandemic such as COVID-19. However, a conventional autopsy carries the risk of disease transmission and may be rejected by relatives. We propose minimally invasive biopsy with robot assistance under CT guidance to minimize the risk of disease transmission during tissue sampling and to improve accuracy. A flexible robotic system for biopsy sampling is presented, which is applied to human corpses placed inside protective body bags. An automatic planning and decision system estimates optimal insertion point. Heat maps projected onto the segmented skin visualize the distance and angle of insertions and estimate the minimum cost of a puncture while avoiding bone collisions. Further, we test multiple insertion paths concerning feasibility and collisions. A custom end effector is designed for inserting needles and extracting tissue samples under robotic guidance. Our robotic post-mortem biopsy (RPMB) system is evaluated in a study during the COVID-19 pandemic on 20 corpses and 10 tissue targets, 5 of them being infected with SARS-CoV-2. The mean planning time including robot path planning is 5.72±167s. Mean needle placement accuracy is 7.19± 422mm.

Non-fatal strangulation and COVID-19 common symptoms and signs: considerations for medical and forensic assessment.

Emerging evidence suggests that an onset or escalation of interpersonal violence has been occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among persons in intimate or familial relationships. Strangulation (or neck compression) is a common form of interpersonal violence and can result in serious adverse health outcomes, including death. The identification and attribution of injuries from non-fatal strangulation are complex, as there may be an absence of external signs of injury and their appearance may be delayed by many days. There is a heavy reliance on clinician identification of 'red flag' symptoms and signs, the presence of which necessitates urgent further assessment. Additional challenges arise when acute non-fatal strangulation symptoms and signs are shared with other clinical conditions. In such cases, differentiating between the conditions based on the symptoms and signs alone is problematic. We present the diagnostic challenges faced when conducting forensic assessments of COVID-19-positive and suspected COVID-19 (S/COVID) patients following allegations of non-fatal strangulation in the setting of physical and sexual assaults. The implications of shared symptoms and signs, for forensic clinicians, primary healthcare, and emergency practitioners, as well as other frontline service providers, are discussed.