The importance of molecular autopsy in forensic medicine
Authors:
Jana Orlíčková 1; Martin Zeman 2; Tomáš Vojtíšek 2; Ondřej Slabý 1,3
Authors‘ workplace:
Středoevropský technologický institut, Masarykova univerzita, Brno
1; Ústav soudního lékařství LF MU a FN u sv. Anny, Brno
2; Biologický ústav LF MU, Brno
3
Published in:
Čas. Lék. čes. 2022; 161: 207-211
Category:
Review Article
Overview
Standard autopsy does not always detect a cause of individual’s death. It occurs often in cases of sudden death. The reason for decease, at least in a part of unsolved cases, can be revealed using methods of molecular biology and genetics. This approach is called molecular autopsy.
First application dates to the end of 20th century when cause of sudden unexplained death of a young woman was provided only after execution of molecular autopsy. Molecular autopsy (also known as post-mortem genetic testing) finds its application particularly in cases of sudden death of young people or infants as their decease is more frequently associated with hereditary diseases linked for example to heart or metabolic conditions. In terms of methodical development, the form of molecular testing has been improved until now. Originally, targeted analysis of small number of genes was used. Nowadays, whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing slowly becomes a new standard for molecular autopsy. Although molecular autopsy has a potential to be integrated into an autopsy as a standard part of it, for now it has not become a standardised routine part of forensic autopsy.
Keywords:
molecular autopsy – sudden infant death syndrome – sudden death
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Labels
Addictology Allergology and clinical immunology Angiology Audiology Clinical biochemistry Dermatology & STDs Paediatric gastroenterology Paediatric surgery Paediatric cardiology Paediatric neurology Paediatric ENT Paediatric psychiatry Paediatric rheumatology Diabetology Pharmacy Vascular surgery Pain managementArticle was published in
Journal of Czech Physicians
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