Kathryn Proctor
In the field of forensic serology, essential developmental impulses have come from the sphere of activity of the German Society for Forensic Medicine.Among these are the orientating enzyme-reactive and specific tests for blood using crystallization tests, the determination of the species-specificity of the donor of the stain and the beginning of the individualization of a stain to its donor.Pioneering work has also been done in the development of blood group serology of the conventional markers.DNA analysis originated in the Anglo-Saxon region. The German Society for Forensic Medicine also contributed to its further progress and essentially influenced it e.g.by the discovery of microsatellite markers, including STRs, by the validation of numerous test methods, by optimization of these methods and by preliminary work for the use of mass spectrometry in DNA analysis. However,limited data is available regarding these risks to forensic medical personnel who are exposed daily to large numbers of severely traumatized bodies in South Africa, a country that has an existing and growing HIV epidemic and a high HBV seroprevalence. Because no specific prescriptions ensuring occupational safety in this regard exist for forensic medical personnel in South Africa, the prevalence of bloodborne viruses within this setting must be determined. Blood was taken randomly from 263 bodies examined at the Medicolegal Laboratory in Pretoria.Serologic tests to detect antibodies to HIV,HCV,and human T-cell lymphotropic virus types I and II(HTLV-I and -II)and to detect the presence of HBV surface antigen(HBsAg)were performed and positive results confirmed using conventional serologic assays. Serologic tests detected at least one of the four bloodborne viruses in 21%of cases. There was a low overall HCV seroprevalence of 1%and an even lower HTLV-I/II seroprevalence of 0.01%.Forensic medical personnel in South Africa are therefore at risk of exposure to bloodborne viral pathogens in, on average,1 of 5 bodies autopsied.This risk is compounded by the high daily workload, traumatized state of many of the bodies, and adverse working conditions. It is imperative that occupational health safety guidelines be created for the forensic medicine discipline and crime scene attendants in South Africa. Antibodies are produced by an individual against foreign organic matter(antigens).As each antibody is designed to react with a specific antigen, a study of the types of antibody present in a person's blood may provide information about that individual's past health record. The general approach to the characterization of bloodstains by“antibody profiling”has been described earlier.These IgE antibodies are detected by incubation of bloodstain extracts with purified allergen coupled to small paper disks.It has been shown that at least three different allergen disks could be incubated simultaneously in a bloodstain. Pericardial fluid is a kind of serous fluid in pericardial cavity.Because blood undergoes postmortem changes such as autolysis and putrefaction, vitreous humor is limited,cerebrospinal fluid is easily mixed with blood,pericardial fluid,on the other hand, exists in a closed cavity and can be hardly contaminated by postmortem changes,and also is easily obtained. Pericardial fluid not only plays an important role in clinic practice,but also is widely applicable in forensic practice.This paper briefly presented the properties of pericardial fluid and its clinical significance. It reviewed biochemical changes in decedents died of heart diseases, drowning and asphyxia, and explored the significance in medico-legal investigation.Moreover,application of pericardial fluid in forensic serology, forensic toxicological analysis and other fields were also discussed.Pericardial fluid analysis may provide important information for determination of the cause of death with further investigation concerning forensic applicability of pericardial fluid