Citation

Verzeletti A, Cortellini V, Vassalini M. J. Forensic Leg. Med. 2010; 17(4): 216-219.

Affiliation

Istituto di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Piazzale Spedali Civili 1, 25123 Brescia, Italy. verzelet@med.unibs.it

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jflm.2009.12.011

PMID

20382359

Abstract

Despite its unlikely occurrence, post-mortem animal depredation is not unknown to forensic pathologists. In the case at issue, the corpse of a dead woman presented extensive facial wounds, which were then traced back to the dog she owned. A small specimen of injured tissue was subjected to species diagnosis, and came back positive for human and canine antigens, which confirmed the presence of biological material of canine origin on the body. The less than usual post-mortal injury pattern described herein clearly highlights the possibility that animal depredation on a corpse may occur soon after death, and underscores the diagnostic potential posed by commonly available and low expensive testing methods such as serological species diagnosis.

Language: en