Ocular swabs on exhumed bodies: An alternative to the collection of “classical” tissue samples in forensic genetics

Agostini, Vincenzo; Bailo, Paolo; Chiti, Enrica; Linarello, P.; Gentile, Guendalina; Primignani, Paola; Giriodi, M.; Piccinini, A.

doi:10.1016/j.fsigen.2019.102206

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Based on our results, we recommend the sampling of the aorta, urinary bladder or brain tissue for the identification of highly decomposed bodies by DNA fingerprinting. However, further research is required in this field and the comparison of these tissue types with other tissues such as cartilage, Achilles tendon, fingernails and toenails and ocular swabs is desirable as those also have been labelled as useful for DNA extraction in cases of putrefied unidentifiable bodies [ 24 , 28 , 45 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suitability of specific soft tissue swabs for the forensic identification of highly decomposed bodies

et al. 2021

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When decomposition of a recovered body is fairly advanced, identification based on common morphologic features is often impossible. In these cases, short tandem repeat (STR) marker genotyping has established itself as a convenient and reliable alternative. However, at very progressed stages of decomposition, postmortem tissue putrefaction processes can decrease DNA yields considerably. Hence, not all types of tissue are equally suitable for successful STR marker-based postmortem identification. Bone or dental material is often analysed in corpses with advanced decompositional changes. However, processing of these materials is very elaborate and time and resource consuming. We have therefore focused on the suitableness of various types of soft tissue swabs, where DNA extraction is easier and faster. By sampling 28 bodies at various stages of decomposition, we evaluated the suitability of different tissues for genotyping at varying degrees of physical decay. This was achieved by a systematic classification of the sampled bodies by morphological scoring and subsequent analysis of multiple tissue swabs of the aortic wall, urinary bladder wall, brain, liver, oral mucosa and skeletal muscle. In summary, we found variable degrees of suitability of different types of soft tissue swabs for DNA-based identification. Swabs of the aortic wall, the urinary bladder wall and brain tissue yielded the best results — in descending order — even at advanced levels of decay.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%