NCJ Number
188651
Journal
Legal Medicine Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: August 2000 Pages: 79-83
Date Published
August 2000
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This report describes two autopsy cases of sudden infant deaths in Japan attributed to peracute pulmonary infection in which it was possible to identify the possible causative microorganisms despite only minor pathological findings.
Abstract
Both babies were 5-month-old boys who had no symptomatic disorders and were found dead in bed. Their main macropathology was inflated heavy lungs with patchy bleedings. One case revealed a pulmonary histopathological finding suggestive of viral infection; analysis of the intrabronchial fluid determined the presence of adenovirus DNA. Pulmonary histopathology in the second case was a feature of early inflammatory reaction involving focal necrosis with some neutrophil infiltration and many intra-alveolar macrophages containing gram-positive cocci; venous blood culture identified Staphylococcus aureus. Findings provided significant support for the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in sudden infant death. Figures and 19 references (Author abstract modified)